Automated Vehicles Safety Management System with Waymo
dss+ drives improvements in Waymo’s SMS for a more comprehensive safety framework. Enhancing safety, improving operational effectiveness, enabling stronger stakeholder alignment, and building a resilient framework ready to support future automated vehicle innovations.
With a mission “to be the world’s most trusted driver” Waymo has pioneered commercial deployment of AV technology. The company serves more than 20 million rides across North America.
The challenge
Due to the confidential nature of its technologies and rapidly evolving industry regulations, Waymo faced challenges in developing a transparent and robust safety management system (SMS). To stay competitive, Waymo recognised its SMS needed to not just ensure public safety, but it also had to strengthen operational effectiveness and reduce long term costs.
Waymo worked with dss+ to develop an integrated SMS framework that would address the company’s entire value chain and, in doing so, set the SMS benchmark for the entire AV industry.
The approach
dss+ first performed a baseline assessment of Waymo’s existing SMS framework, organisational structure and roles and responsibilities, including those of third-party contractors. dss+ also identified and reviewed existing operational, engineering, and safety management processes – such as contract language and safety communication – in order to seek opportunities for improvement.
Waymo was enabled to strengthen its SMS framework through enhanced hazard management and operational risk processes. dss+ also helped revise new key performance indicators and contract language to better support future third party services.
Impact on the ground
The inflection point
“Driving meaningful operational improvements starts with a clear understanding of how people, processes, and systems work together. Our team helps organisations break down silos, identify opportunities for efficiency, and create alignment that strengthens service delivery and long-term performance.”
- Jason Sergent, Director / President, Transportation, dss+