Fraunhofer Institute for Cognitive Systems IKSProf. Dr. Simon Burton is Scientific Director Safety Assurance at the Fraunhofer Institute for Cognitive Systems IKS.
He graduated in computer science at the University of York, where he also achieved his Phd on the topic of the verification of safety-critical software in 2001. Simon has a background in a number of safety-critical industries. He has spent the last two decades mainly focusing on automotive, working in research and development projects as well as leading consulting, engineering service and product organisations. Within this time, he has supported manufacturers, suppliers and service organizations by providing solutions for process improvement, embedded software development, safety and security. Most recently, he held the role of Director of Vehicle Systems Safety at Robert Bosch GmbH where, amongst other things, his efforts were focused on developing strategies for ensuring the safety of automated driving systems.
In September 2020, he joined the leadership of Fraunhofer IKS in the role of Scientific Director Safety Assurance where he steers research strategy into “safe intelligence”. His own personal research interests include the safety assurance of complex, autonomous systems, and the safety of machine learning. Simon is an author of numerous international academic publications and an active member of the programme committees of international safety conferences and workshops. In addition to his role within Fraunhofer IKS, he has the role of honorary visiting professor at the University of York where he supports a number of research activities and interdisciplinary collaborations.