ISO 19206-3:2021

Overview

ISO 19206-3:2021 - "Road vehicles - Test devices for target vehicles, vulnerable road users and other objects - Part 3: Requirements for passenger vehicle 3D targets" specifies performance and verification requirements for surrogate vehicle targets used to evaluate detection by active safety systems and ADAS. The standard defines the properties of an omni-directional, multi-purpose 3D vehicle target designed to represent passenger cars (notably B and C segment vehicles) in size, shape and sensor reflection characteristics. It covers how targets should respond to common sensing technologies (optical, radar, thermal), and includes requirements for target carriers, calibration and field verification.

Key Topics and Technical Requirements

• Vehicle target specifications
  • Physical dimensions and classes (reflecting common passenger cars)
  • Safety, repairability, durability and environmental considerations
  • Reference coordinate system and speed classes
• Sensor response requirements
  • Optical / near-infrared: features and stability for visual recognition (annexes describe sensor-specific measurements)
  • Radar: radar cross section characteristics, static and recognition features, measurement methods
  • Thermal (far‑infrared): thermal signature characteristics and reference measurement approaches
• Calibration and field verification
  • Methods to verify target properties against sensor responses and to maintain repeatability
• Target carrier and motion
  • Performance requirements for carriers that move/support targets (longitudinal, lateral, vertical positioning, yaw rates, accelerations)
  • Annexes provide guidance on measuring position, speed and acceleration
• Normative references
  • Includes ISO 8855 (vehicle dynamics vocabulary) and ISO 8608 (road surface profiles) as referenced standards

Bold note: ISO 19206-3:2021 does not specify test procedures (speeds/positions/timing) nor the performance criteria for active safety systems themselves.

Practical Applications

• Development and validation of ADAS and advanced driver assistance sensors (camera, lidar, radar, thermal)
• Test-lab design and procurement of standardized surrogate vehicle targets and carriers
• Supplier requirements for target manufacturers and test-equipment providers
• Benchmarking and reproducibility of detection tests across manufacturers and test facilities

Who should use this standard

• Automotive OEMs and ADAS system integrators
• Test laboratories and proving grounds
• Target and test-equipment manufacturers
• Regulatory bodies and standards developers involved in vehicle safety testing

Related Standards

• ISO 19206 series (other parts of test-device standards)
• ISO 8855 - Road vehicles: vehicle dynamics vocabulary
• ISO 8608 - Mechanical vibration: road surface profiles

ISO 19206-3:2021 helps ensure surrogate vehicle targets provide consistent, verifiable signatures for modern sensing technologies - a practical foundation for robust, repeatable active-safety testing.