SAE J3171_202509

It is expected that Level 4 and 5 automated driving systems-dedicated vehicles (ADS-DVs) will eventually enable persons to travel at will who are otherwise unable to obtain a driver’s license for a conventional vehicle, namely, persons with certain visual, cognitive, and/or physical impairments. This information report focuses on these disabilities but also provides guidance for those with other disabilities. This report is limited to fleet-operated, on-demand, shared mobility scenarios, as this is widely considered to be the first way people will be able to interact with ADS-DVs. To be more specific, this report does not address fixed-route transit services or private vehicle ownership. Similarly, this report is focused on motor vehicles (refer to SAE J3016), not scooters, golf carts, etc. Lastly, this report does not address the design of chair lifts, ramps, or securements for persons who use wheeled mobility devices (WHMD) (e.g., wheelchair, electric cart, etc.), as these matters are addressed by other committees within SAE International. This information report provides a literature review, along with results from expert interviews, regarding universal design principles and guidance for the development of automated driving systems-dedicated vehicles (ADS-DVs) in order to accommodate users with visual, mild cognitive, or certain physical impairments. This 2025 limited-scope revision incorporates editorial/general changes from the 2019 release of SAE J3171, identified in the previous reaffirmation ballot, including: correction of typos (missing commas/hyphens/words, incorrect numbering), alignment of Background description with the numerical flow of the clauses, and updating terminology and grammar for clarity and alignment with related documents. Besides those changes captured in the limited-scope revision, references were corrected where needed.