Overview
ISO 34504:2024 - Road vehicles - Test scenarios for automated driving systems - Scenario categorization - defines a standardized approach for categorizing test scenarios for Automated Driving Systems (ADS). Applicable to SAE level 3 to SAE level 5, the standard introduces the concept of tags as meta-attributes that carry descriptive information about scenarios. Scenario categories are formed by collections of tags so that scenarios sharing the same tags belong to the same category. The document aims to harmonize scenario classification across databases and tooling to support scenario-based testing and ADS verification.
Key technical topics and requirements
- Tags as meta-attributes: Tags describe scenario characteristics and are the primary building blocks for scenario categories.
- Groups of tags: Tags cover multiple topic areas including:
- Dynamic entities (road user type, longitudinal/lateral/mixed actions, role relative to the subject vehicle, visibility, collision information, etc.)
- Scenery elements
- Environmental conditions
- Additional scenario information
- Intended test usage
- Tag trees and abstraction levels: Tags are structured into hierarchical trees; layers represent different abstraction levels. A higher-level tag implies applicability of lower-level tags.
- Scenario category definition and inclusion: A scenario category is a collection of one or more tags; categories can overlap and are not required to be mutually exclusive. A category Y includes category X if X’s tag structure is contained in Y.
- Extensibility: Stakeholders may extend tags to cover characteristics not addressed by the standard, provided extensions do not conflict with specified tags.
- Equivalence with scenario attributes: Scenario attributes can be treated as equivalent to tags when allocating scenarios to categories.
- Qualitative focus: Tags are typically qualitative; quantification is left to implementers (e.g., precise speed thresholds).
Practical applications and who uses it
ISO 34504:2024 is intended for:
- ADS developers and validation teams - to organize and select scenario sets for test campaigns and regression testing.
- Test engineers and simulation providers - to tag scenarios in libraries and enable automated scenario selection.
- Regulators and assessors - to map Operational Design Domains (ODDs) to scenario categories for certification and safety assessment.
- Scenario database managers and researchers - to harmonize and share scenario categories across repositories (e.g., CARE, GIDAS, NASS/GES).
Practical uses include structuring test cases, scenario assignment within an ODD, and filtering scenario libraries for targeted verification.
Related standards and references
- ISO 34501 (vocabulary) - normative reference for terms and definitions
- Informative inputs include ISO 34502, ISO 34503, ASAM OpenLABEL, and relevant ECE/GRVA documents and industry deliverables that inform scenario-based ADS testing.
Keywords: ISO 34504:2024, scenario categorization, ADS testing, SAE level 3-5, scenario tags, ODD, scenario database, automated driving systems.