Overview
ISO 23150-15:2026 – "Road vehicles - Logical interface between sensors and data fusion unit for automated driving functions - Part 15: Microphone specific interfaces" – is an international standard developed by ISO for the automotive sector. This document defines the technology-specific logical interfaces for microphone sensors or sensor clusters in road vehicles equipped with automated driving functions. It standardizes logical data interfaces at the detection level, focusing on how microphone-derived information is logically structured and communicated to data fusion units that support automated driving features. The standard does not address electrical, mechanical, or raw data interfaces.
Key Topics
- Logical Interface Definition: Specifies the logical (software-level) interaction between microphone sensors/sensor clusters and data fusion units, enabling structured integration of auditory information into automated driving functions.
- Detection Level Interface: Outlines the interface structure for detecting and communicating recognized acoustic events, classification information, and contextual data (e.g., road condition or distance) from microphones.
- Sensor Data Profiles: Provides tailored profiles for handling microphone-specific outputs, such as road property classification, relative motion types (e.g., incoming/outgoing sound sources), and confidence metrics.
- Entity Status and Metadata: Supports reporting of detection statuses, confidences, time stamps, and metadata for acoustic events relevant to automated driving.
- Integration with ISO 23150 Series: Relies on the generic interface architecture and definitions in ISO 23150-1 and aligns with the modular design of the broader ISO 23150 series for multi-sensor data integration in autonomous vehicles.
Applications
- Automated and Autonomous Driving: Enables vehicles to perceive and interpret critical acoustic events (such as emergency vehicle sirens, honking, human interaction, or road noises), enhancing scene understanding required for safe automated actions.
- Sensor Fusion: Facilitates the integration of microphone sensor data with other perception sensors (radar, camera, lidar) as part of sophisticated data fusion systems in advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and automated driving.
- Event-based Decision Making: Supports robust detection and reliable interpretation of sound-based events imperative for vehicle response, such as yielding for emergency vehicles or responding to alerts from pedestrians and other road users.
- Standardized Interface Implementation: Assists automotive OEMs, sensor suppliers, and Tier 1 system integrators in designing interoperable systems for microphone-based perception, reducing development costs and increasing compatibility across platforms.
- Enhanced Diagnostics: Provides consistent and structured means for monitoring sensor performance and system health concerning the detection and classification of acoustic phenomena.
Related Standards
- ISO 23150-1:2026 – General principles and interface definitions for logical connections between sensors and data fusion units in automated driving functions.
- ISO 23150-2 – Object-level interfaces addressing higher-level perception data.
- ISO 23150-11, -12, -13, -14, -20 – Additional technology-specific parts in the ISO 23150 series for other sensor types and supportive interfaces (e.g., camera, lidar, radar).
- ISO/TC 22/SC 31 Data communication – Technical committee and subcommittee responsible for the ISO 23150 series.
- ISO 26262 – Safety standards framework for automotive E/E systems, often referenced in functional safety and integration contexts.
By standardizing logical interfaces for microphone sensors in automated driving, ISO 23150-15:2026 enhances the consistency, safety, and interoperability of sensor-rich automotive platforms. Stakeholders across the automotive supply chain benefit from improved integration, risk reduction, and faster innovation in deploying advanced perception capabilities for autonomous and highly automated vehicles.
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