Balancing Safety and Innovation: A Manufacturer’s Perspective on AI-Powered Cars in Embedded Systems

Sammanfattning

AI-powered vehicle systems, including autonomous driving features and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), are becoming increasingly integrated into modern automotive development. While these technologies offer benefits such as improved functionality, innovation acceleration, and competitive advantage, they also introduce new challenges. One of the key challenges is maintaining system safety in highly dynamic, embedded environments where AI-based decisions must remain predictable and certifiable. As the role of AI expands in safety-critical systems, manufacturers face growing tension between innovation and safety assurance. This study explores how automotive manufacturers perceive and manage this balance. A qualitative and interpretive approach was used, with data collected through semistructured interviews with professionals from the automotive AI domain. The study identifies key themes where AI implementation enhances, complicates, or is constrained by safety requirements. In addition, collaboration across regulatory, technical, and ethical domains emerged as a necessary condition for safe and innovative development. The findings highlight the need for proactive risk governance, cross-functional team coordination, and ethical alignment during AI integration. Based on these insights, the study proposes that responsible AI deployment in embedded vehicle systems depends on both organizational structure and sociotechnical adaptability.