The ASR (Autonomous Systems Responsible)

Key Terms:

Term	Definition
RES	Remote Emergency Stop. The emergency stop device operated by the ASR.
Dynamic Operation	Use of the ADS-DV within an approved Dynamic Operating Area under the defined ASR and area-control rules.

Brief:

According to the IMechE Documentation, the role of ASR is defined as follows:

"The responsible operator who supervises the ADS-DV and operates the RES."

I'm going to designate numbers for these rules, not because they are provided, but because they might make them easier to remember.

Rule 1:

There must always be a qualified Autonomous Systems Responsible person (ASR) present to operate the ADS-DV with the Remote Emergency Stop (RES).

"Bottom line, you can't go using the ADS-DV car without the ASR present, and with the RES properly attached"

Rule 2:

The ASR must keep the RES strapped securely around their waist and on their person at all times while the ADS-DV is active. It must not be held in one hand, put down, or moved out of immediate reach.

"Keep the thing attached and held on you in a reasonable fashion. If you can't immediately press the E-Stop button in less than half a second, your probably wearing it wrong"

If there is anyting you get from this document, remember this:

Rule 3:

"The ASR must only be responsible for mission selection and the RES. They must not perform any other duties while the ADS-DV is active."

Your primary role is isolated to these 2 things, the mission selection (also setting the mission) and the RES. Everything else about the role is about promoting and ensuring the safety of yourself and others. You must not have any other interaction with the vehicle of any kind.

The whole point of this is to let the ASR have their full attention on the RES at any given moment in time during both Static and Dynamic Operation.

Rule 4:

During static and dynamic operation, you the vehicle and operation of the RES switch must have your absolute undivided attention

Your eyes should be plastered to the vehicle at all times during static and dynamic operation

What to do if...

The light on the status light on the emergency stop button starts flashing:

The RES battery is running low. Ask an IMechE official for support. (Rules also state how to change the battery)

The RES starts vibrating randomly:

"Your phones in your pocket mate" - ZF guy

Anything about the Static or Dynamic operation of the ADS-DV during present or future operation is unsafe:

EBS and stop interacting with the vehicle in a safe manner and assess the situation.

Case study

During the Sunday of FSUK 2026, people around me, the ASR were busy putting cones out in a rush in order to get a run in the newly designated practice area with the ADS-DV. The proposed run involved increasing the speed of the ADS-DV since the last run dramatically.

As the ASR I noticed that the cones that were laying out the proposed track were a little bit close to the tyre barrier for my liking at one corner. The officials around the vehicle did not have any complaints, but as the ASR (and knowing the fact that we were increasing our speed on that run), I would have felt much more comfortable had the track been a metre or two further out from the tyre barrier. The ADS-DV vehicle in this case overshot the first turn due to the high speed it was carrying in the first corner, but had it have been carrying the same speed in the corner closer to the tyre barrier, it could have posed a potential hazard, even though I hit the emergency stop well before it reached that corner. In this particular case, all operation should have been halted until the track layout met my standard. As the ASR, you have to look out for yourself, and the others around you. The EBS switch can't be treated as though it will cause the car to come to an immediate stop. You must account for a reasonable amount of runoff (4 metres minimum).

It might seem annoying, but you have to have an element of cop on when it comes to these things. Your the person who should be enforcing safe operation of the vehicle.