ISO 39003-2023 PDF

Full title and description

St ISO 39003-2023 — Road traffic safety (RTS) — Guidance on ethical considerations relating to safety for autonomous vehicles. Guidance document giving designers, manufacturers and decision‑makers recommended ethical considerations to address when designing the behaviour and decision‑making of autonomous road vehicles.

Abstract

This International Standard provides guidance on ethical considerations related to road traffic safety for autonomous vehicles (AVs). It describes topics and aspects of AV behaviour and decision‑making that designers, manufacturers and other stakeholders should consider to help ensure ethical issues are identified and addressed in the vehicle design lifecycle. The document does not prescribe a specific ethical framework, does not set mandatory technical requirements or required outcomes, and does not provide detailed methodological procedures; instead it highlights areas for consideration and documentation so that ethical aspects are not overlooked in design and verification.

General information

• Status: Published
• Publication date: July 2023
• Publisher: International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
• ICS / categories: 03.220.20 (Road transport / Road traffic safety)
• Edition / version: Edition 1 (2023)
• Number of pages: 44

Scope

The standard offers guidance on ethical considerations specifically related to the safety behaviour and decision‑making of autonomous vehicles. It is applicable to highly automated/autonomous vehicles (the ISO text references applicability to vehicles in fully autonomous mode). The scope specifically excludes prescribing the technical control methods for making decisions, setting fixed outcomes for ethical decisions, or providing detailed methodologies; it is intended to be used as a checklist and guidance resource for those responsible for AV design, validation and governance so ethical safety aspects are considered and documented.

Key topics and requirements

• Identification of ethical considerations relevant to vehicle behaviour and safety‑critical decision points.
• Transparency and explainability — documenting how decisions are reached and which ethical principles were considered.
• Accountability and roles — defining responsibilities for ethical decisions across design, deployment and operation.
• Human‑machine interaction considerations, including transition of control and user expectations.
• Risk identification and assessment with attention to ethical trade‑offs affecting safety outcomes.
• Design and verification practices to evidence that ethical considerations were addressed (documentation, testing, scenario analysis).
• Limitations and operational design domain (ODD) clarity — communicating where and how the vehicle is intended to operate.
• Stakeholder engagement — considering public expectations, vulnerable road users and societal impacts.
• Data use and privacy implications that intersect with safety and ethical decision‑making.
• Non‑prescriptive guidance: the document recommends considerations rather than mandatory technical requirements or prescriptive ethical rules.

Typical use and users

Primary users include AV system designers and manufacturers, safety architects, ethics and governance teams, verification and validation engineers, regulatory bodies, conformity assessment bodies, research institutions, insurers, and policy makers. The standard is used as a reference during concept definition, system design, safety case development, public policy consultation and internal governance to ensure ethical aspects of safety behaviour are considered and documented.

Related standards

Standards and documents commonly referenced alongside ISO 39003 include ISO 39001 (Road traffic safety management systems), ISO 39002 / ISO 39004 (related RTS guidance), ISO 26262 (functional safety for road vehicles), ISO 21448 (SOTIF — Safety of the Intended Functionality), ISO/SAE J3016 (levels of driving automation definition), ISO/SAE standards on AV testing, ISO 21434 (automotive cybersecurity), and applicable regulatory frameworks and UN/ECE vehicle safety regulations. Organizations typically use ISO 39003 together with system‑level safety and cybersecurity standards when addressing AV safety and governance.

Keywords

autonomous vehicles, AV, road traffic safety, RTS, ethics, ethical considerations, decision‑making, transparency, accountability, operational design domain, verification, ISO 39003, ISO/TC 241

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ISO 39003:2023 is an international guidance standard that sets out ethical considerations related to the safety behaviour and decision‑making of autonomous road vehicles. It provides topics to consider and document but does not mandate technical requirements or specific ethical rules.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers ethical aspects tied to vehicle behaviour and safety decisions — transparency, accountability, stakeholder considerations, risk identification, limitations and operational domain communication, documentation and verification practices. It does not prescribe algorithms, specific technical methods, or required outcomes of ethical decisions.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Vehicle and AV system manufacturers, safety and ethics teams, regulators, conformity assessors, researchers, insurers and policy makers use the standard as guidance during design, validation and governance to ensure ethical safety considerations are addressed.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: ISO 39003 was published in July 2023. It is a current guidance document; as of March 1, 2026 there is no widely published successor that supersedes ISO 39003. Users should check national bodies or ISO for any amendments or related updates after that date.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes. ISO 39003 is part of the broader ISO work on Road Traffic Safety (RTS) under ISO/TC 241 and is typically used alongside other RTS and automotive standards such as ISO 39001, ISO 39002/39004, ISO 26262, ISO 21448 (SOTIF) and ISO 21434 (cybersecurity).

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Autonomous vehicles, ethics, road traffic safety, decision‑making, transparency, accountability, operational design domain, verification, ISO 39003.