ISO/IEC Course in Autonomous Navigation Systems
Online 300-hour course in ISO/IEC for autonomous navigation systems. 6 modules covering ISO 21448 (SOTIF), ISO 26262 (functional safety in vehicles) and ROS 2 (Nav2). Dedicated tutor and open enrolment.
ISO/IEC Course in Autonomous Navigation Systems — studying from South Africa
South Africa has a established defence industry centred on companies such as Denel and Paramount Group, with capabilities in land systems, armoured vehicles and munitions. The sector supports engineering roles in systems integration, vehicle design and test and evaluation. Defence procurement and export controls are overseen by government bodies, and the industry works closely with the South African National Defence Force. Engineers in this field typically combine mechanical, electrical and systems skills.
Fees for South Africa: R 10 200 (South African rand), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in South Africa
Typical roles
Questions from South Africa
Which South African bodies regulate or recognise defence and military engineering professionals?
Engineers in South Africa are registered through ECSA under the Engineering Profession Act, and defence programmes are guided by institutions such as the South African National Defence Force and Armscor, which set their own requirements. SEIUM is a private online institute, and its qualifications are not state degrees or accredited by a national body. Recognition is decided by these bodies and your employer, so confirm with them first.
Would this qualification help me find work in South Africa's defence or land systems sector?
South Africa has a defence industry with state-linked entities and private contractors, and employers usually require security clearances, relevant experience and recognised qualifications. A private online programme may support your application but does not guarantee employment or clearance. Check requirements with prospective employers, as roles in this sector can be sensitive and tightly controlled.
Can I study alongside a job, and are there funding options?
The course is 100% online and taught in English, so you need strong English, and no student visa is needed to study from home. Master's programmes are 1,900 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 hours and specialist courses 300 hours, each with an assigned technical tutor. Fees are payable in instalments, and employer sponsorship is possible, so ask whether your employer would fund part of the training.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Describe the functional architecture of an autonomous navigation system.
Select sensors and techniques for environmental perception.
Apply simultaneous localisation and mapping algorithms.
Design trajectory planners and control laws.
Fuse GNSS, inertial and perception information.
Plan safety tests in accordance with applicable standardisation.
Develop an integrative autonomous navigation project.
Who it's for
- Autonomous navigation engineer who wants to specialise in ISO/IEC for autonomous navigation systems.
- Perception engineer who wants to specialise in ISO/IEC for autonomous navigation systems.
- Localisation and mapping engineer who wants to specialise in ISO/IEC for autonomous navigation systems.
- Vehicle control engineer who wants to specialise in ISO/IEC for autonomous navigation systems.
- Mobile robotics engineer who wants to specialise in ISO/IEC for autonomous navigation systems.
- Functional safety engineer who wants to specialise in ISO/IEC for autonomous navigation systems.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter the automotive industry.
What you'll work with
- ISO 21448 (SOTIF)
- ISO 26262 (functional safety in vehicles)
- ISO 3691-4 (driverless industrial vehicles)
- ISO 22737 (low-speed automated driving systems)
- IEC 61508 (functional safety)
- RTCA DO-229 (augmented GNSS equipment)
- ISO 13482 (personal care robots)
6 modules · 300 h
1.1Functions: perception, localisation, planning and control1.2Data flow between functions1.3Functional and performance requirements1.4Applicable international robotics standards1.5Vocabulary and classification standards for robots1.6Safety requirements for mobile robots1.7Structured and unstructured environments1.8Levels of autonomy and their definition1.9Sector vocabulary and acronyms1.10Exercise: decomposing the navigation of a system
2.1Distance sensors: laser, radar and ultrasound2.2Monocular and stereo cameras2.3Inertial sensors and magnetometers2.4Sensor fusion and synchronisation2.5Intrinsic and extrinsic calibration2.6Obstacle detection and classification2.7Segmentation of the navigable space2.8Limitations due to weather and lighting2.9Perception performance metrics2.10Practical: calibrating and evaluating a sensor set
3.1State estimation and filtering3.2Odometry and error accumulation3.3Simultaneous localisation and mapping3.4Metric, topological and semantic maps3.5Loop closure and map consistency3.6Localisation in a prior map3.7Relocalisation after loss of reference3.8Position integrity and its estimation3.9Degradation in repetitive environments3.10Practical: evaluating localisation accuracy
4.1Global route planning4.2Local planning and reactive avoidance4.3Kinematic and dynamic constraints4.4Prohibited zones and geofences4.5Trajectory control and tracking4.6Behaviour when encountering unexpected obstacles4.7Safe stopping and degraded states4.8Speed and safety distances4.9Interaction with people and vehicles4.10Practical: designing the safe-stop logic
5.1Risk analysis of the navigation system5.2Safety functions and their integrity5.3Independent supervision and behaviour monitoring5.4Definition of the permitted operating environment5.5Tests in laboratory, track and real environments5.6Catalogue of test scenarios5.7Safety metrics and acceptance criteria5.8Data logging and incident analysis5.9Documentation for conformity assessment5.10Practical: navigation test plan
6.1Choice of platform and environment6.2Functional specification of the navigation6.3Sensor selection and calibration6.4Localisation and mapping design6.5Planning and control design6.6Risk analysis and safety functions6.7Test plan and metrics6.8Conformity documentation6.9Technical report6.10Defence of the work
How you'll learn
100 % online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and a dedicated technical tutor. No fixed timetables: students progress at their own pace within the intake, making it possible to combine study with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is ROS 2 (Nav2), Autoware, MATLAB (Navigation Toolbox), OpenCV, Gazebo, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Tests are studied using real autonomous vehicle test track procedures, GNSS and inertial localisation tests, and perception tests with labelled datasets. Assessment is continuous per module plus the final integrative project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Describe the functional architecture of an autonomous navigation system.
Select sensors and techniques for environmental perception.
Apply simultaneous localisation and mapping algorithms.
Design trajectory planners and control laws.
Fuse GNSS, inertial and perception information.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior qualification required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- Sufficient Spanish to follow technical standards documentation.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme is 300 hours in total, spread over 3 to 5 months. That is between 10 and 15 hours a week on average, compatible with a full-time job.
Work is carried out with ROS 2 (Nav2), Autoware, MATLAB (Navigation Toolbox), OpenCV, Gazebo. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the open-source alternative where one exists.
An SEIUM own diploma upon passing the continuous assessment and the integrative project. It is in-house training, not an official Ministry qualification.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or Postgraduate Diploma in the same area are credited towards the higher programme. Check the credit transfer policy when you enrol.
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