ARA Standard v1.1

Effective March 2026

Version 1.1 is a major expansion of the ARA Standard, introducing a two-axis certification model that combines Certification Levels (L1 Foundation, L2 Operational, L3 Comprehensive) with Assurance Classes (A Periodic, B Monitored, C Continuous) to create nine distinct certification designations. The standard now covers 410 Autonomous Compliance Requirements across 15 reliability domains.

New in v1.1: four system profiles (Foundational, Standard, Advanced, Comprehensive) determine which ACRs apply to a given system, enabling right-sized certification. Platform Certification allows reusable infrastructure to carry forward ACR compliance to deployment-level evaluations. A mandatory 7-factor risk classification conducted by AVBs determines the appropriate Assurance Class.

Two new domains address Data Privacy and Consent Management (Domain 5) and Societal Impact Assessment (Domain 13), reflecting the growing importance of these concerns in autonomous system deployments. The ecosystem now includes Certified Assurance Platform Operators (CAPOs) and Recognized Insurer Partners (RIPs).