Verification for Autonomous Systems

Inside this Report

The aerospace/defense, automotive/transportation, and industrial automation industries are increasingly using autonomous systems to replace human or human-controlled operations. The need for robust and dependable verification solutions to ensure the safety, reliability, and compliance of these solutions, especially in use cases where human intervention is minimal or nonexistent, presents a critical technical challenge. The complex verification process is compounded by the rapid advancement of autonomous use-cases, operational design domains and varying country- or region- specific regulations.

Traditional verification approaches are increasingly inadequate for the testing autonomous systems. To address these challenges, the industry is turning to advanced, simulation-based validation solutions that support verification throughout the system's lifecycle. Advanced simulation platforms are increasingly enabling virtual testing of sensor data, perception systems, and control algorithms across diverse and complex scenarios. By integrating AI into these tools, developers can accelerate training, automate validation workflows, and generate more realistic environments, enhancing the accuracy and scalability of autonomous system development.

This report explores the current landscape of verification tools tailored for autonomous systems. It analyzes the capabilities and applications of leading solutions, highlights emerging trends in simulation-based validation, and provides insights into best practices for achieving high-assurance autonomy. As part of VDC's continued efforts to engage with the technology markets we research, this report includes end user insights from VDC's "Voice of the Engineer" survey.

What Questions are Addressed?

• What is the size of the market for autonomous systems verification solutions and how fast will it grow through 2029?
• Which vertical and regional markets are growing the fastest?
• How are key partnerships, acquisitions, standards, and regulations shaping the market?
• Which markets are primed for widespread adoption of autonomous systems?
• How is Artificial Intelligence used to automate autonomous system verification?
• Which vendors are leading the autonomous system verification market?

Organizations Listed in this Report:

Who Should Read this Report?

• CEO or other C-level executives
• Corporate development and M&A teams
• Marketing executives
• Business development and sales leaders
• Product development and strategy leaders
• Channel management and channel strategy leaders

Executive Summary

The rapid advancement of autonomous system technologies, related multi-sensor interfaces and complex edge- case scenarios, is creating a mix of test challenges and opportunities. As systems adopt increasingly sophisticated AI algorithms for sensing and perception, decision-making and environmental adaptation, each technological advancement requires an assessment of the verification and validation (V&V) processes to ensure safety and performance. Verification is an objective set of tests that confirm that the product meets requirement's metrics, while validation seeks to demonstrate that the product meets its original intent.

Verifying the performance, safety and reliability of autonomous systems remains a fundamentally difficult problem. The complexity of multiple sensor inputs, dynamic real-world environments, AI decision-making trust, and the lack of standardized verification practices generate friction points that can potentially slow an autonomous system's time-to-market timeline and increase risk.

The aforementioned factors, along with increased regulatory oversight, recent mergers and acquisition activity and partnerships, are driving change in the traditional makeup of the software and hardware development supply chain, creating increased opportunities for companies offering verification solutions for autonomous systems.

Key Findings:

• Advanced simulation solutions are used in the verification and validation of autonomous systems, alleviating many of the limitations of real-world testing.
• Engineering organizations begin simulation verification and validation requirements early in the product lifecycle during architecture development and nearly the same proportion at design implementation.
• Merger and acquisition activity in the autonomous system verification market has led to increased consolidation among key players. This convergence of simulation and verification tool domains and functionalities has significantly enhanced platform capabilities.
• Fatal accidents involving autonomous vehicles in the U.S and China have increased regulatory scrutiny and will significantly drive demand for autonomous system verification solutions.

Report Excerpt

Timing of Verification and Validation Activities

Respondents indicate that most engineering organizations initiate simulation requirement activities early in the product lifecycle. Nearly half of respondents (46.9%) report beginning these processes as the architecture is being developed, closely followed by 46.5% who start as the design is being implemented. This early engagement reflects the industry's recognition that identifying and addressing potential issues during foundational stages can significantly reduce downstream costs and risks.

By contrast, fewer organizations initiate simulation requirements during the earliest conceptual stage, with 26.5% starting as the requirements are being written. Similarly, 26.1% delay the process until physical prototypes are available, a stage where changes are typically more expensive and time-consuming to implement. These findings underscore the growing emphasis on integrating simulation earlier in the development pipeline, aligning with model-based design, simulation-driven validation, and virtual prototyping strategies that are becoming standard in advanced autonomous engineering programs.

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