About me

Independent consultant

Scientist

Convenor ISO TC 22/SC 32/ WG 14

Independent Consultant

For nearly 30 years, I have helped manufacturers, suppliers and service organisations from a number of industries to improve their engineering processes and products.

My pragmatic approach to consulting is based on my own experiences as an engineer as well as in leading research and development organisations. I combine this experience with a deep sense of professionalism and an expertise in relevant standards and best practices.

My consulting services include: compliance checks and improvement recommendations against safety standards (for example, the automotive standards: ISO 26262, ISO 21448 and ISO PAS 8800), support for strategic organisational change management initiatives, as well as research and engineering support.

Honorary Visiting Professor

I work closely with the Assuring Autonomy International Programme at the Institute for Safe Autonomy at the University of York where I was awarded the title of honorary visiting professor in 2019.

My research interests cover multidisciplinary perspectives on the safety assurance of AI-based, autonomous systems as well as the risk impact of emergent complexity in socio-technical systems. This includes addressing ethical, legal and regulatory aspects of “Safe AI”, the formulation of convincing safety assurance arguments for autonomous systems, and the foundations of trustworthy AI.

For a list of research publications, see my Google Scholar page.

I am also an active member of programme committees for a number of international conferences and workshops, and regularly act as a Phd supervisor or examiner.

Convenor of ISO TC 22/SC 32/WG14

In 2021, I established the ISO working group “Safety and artificial intelligence” to develop standards for the safe application of AI, and in particular machine learning to safety-critical automotive applications.

With the support of over 130 experts from 13 countries, I currently lead the development of ISO PAS 8800 “Road vehicles – Safety and AI”, scheduled for release in 2024.

I am also active in a number of other standardisation activities at the international and national level and was the mobility working group lead for the DIN AI standardisation roadmap.

Background

I graduated in computer science at the University of York, where I also achieved a Phd on the topic of the verification of safety-critical software in 2001. Over the last 20 years, I have held a number of management roles in consulting, research and engineering organisations, predominantly in the automotive industry. During this time, I have maintained a close link to academia and in 2019 was awarded the title of honorary visiting professor at the University of York. Since 2016, I have increasingly focused on the challenges caused by the use of AI, and in particular machine learning, in safety-critical applications.

I am a passionate believer that research should not remain a theoretical exercise but should have a direct impact on our world for public good. Therefore, in addition to the numerous industrial transfer activities working directly with business partners, I also actively seek opportunities to disseminate the results of my research at the levels of governance, standardisation, and society in general.

Previous roles

  • 2020 - 2023: Scientific Director, Fraunhofer Institute of Cognitive Systems
  • 2016 - 2020: Director of Automotive Safety and Chief Expert Vehicle Computers, Software, Safety and Security, Robert Bosch GmbH
  • 2012 - 2016: Director of Global Embedded Software Services ETAS GmbH (subsidiary of Robert Bosch GmbH)
  • 2006 - 2011: Manager, Consulting Services, Vector Informatik GmbH
  • 2001 - 2006: Research Associate and Group Manager, DaimlerChrysler AG
  • 1997 - 2001: Research Associate, University of York
  • 1994 - 1997: Software developer and consultant, Solinet GmbH