Arnold NextG Blogspot: When Failure Is Not an Option – Redundancy, Degradation and System Intelligence with NX NextMotion

With its NX NextMotion platform, Arnold NextG delivers a high-availability, safety-certified control architecture that anticipates risks and responds to failures in a controlled manner – without the need for manual intervention. At the core are three key principles:

Redundancy: Safety through System Duplication

Redundancy is the foundation of autonomous operational safety. For NX NextMotion, this means every safety-critical function – from actuators and controllers to power supply – is available in multiple, fully active instances. Examples include:

• Two independent steering actuators
• Dual communication channels (CAN-FD and CAN-XL)
• Redundant power supply with failover resilience

This active redundancy ensures continued operation in a degraded but controlled mode – a critical criterion for certified autonomous platforms.

“Redundancy isn’t necessary for the vehicle to drive. But it’s essential to keep it safe when things go wrong.”  – Volvo Autonomous Solutions, 2025

Degradability: Errors are not system failures

NX NextMotion incorporates a multi-level degradation strategy based on ISO 26262 (ASIL D), SIL3 and ISO 21434 certified safety logic. In the event of a failure, the system does not shut down immediately – instead, functions are selectively scaled back while maintaining a safe operational state.

This logic is not reactive but proactively modelled – calibrated to the threat level of the specific deployment context. The result: functional continuity at the highest safety level.

Safety Architecture: Scenario-Based, Not Component-Based

Arnold NextG takes a systems-level view of safety. The focus isn’t just on the integrity of individual components, but on the functional consequences: What must never happen in case of failure – and how can it be prevented?

Key technical implementations include:

• Segregated control logic for steering, propulsion and braking
• Decentralised controllers with autonomous decision-making
• Black-channel architecture to ensure data integrity, even under interference

• Permanent system self-check every millisecond during operation

The result is a self-monitoring, self-adaptive system – prepared to act before a failure becomes a safety hazard.

In Practice: Autonomy That Stays Operational, Even Under Failure

Whether as part of an unmanned defence convoy, during evacuations in crisis zones or delivering critical infrastructure support during disasters: NX NextMotion remains operational – even with partial system failure. That’s the difference between robust technology and true safety architecture.

Conclusion: Safety Isn’t a Promise – It’s Engineered

Future-ready mobility demands systems that continue to function when others fail. Redundancy, degradation strategies and certified safety architecture are not just features of Arnold NextG – they are at the heart of the company’s engineering philosophy. Developed and manufactured entirely in Germany, NX NextMotion delivers system reliability in real-world conditions.

Because those who carry responsibility need systems they can rely on.

We control what moves!