Automotive System Safety

6Safety Lifecycle

Background

Chapter 3 discussed the automotive safety lifecycle as it applies to a series production automotive product. This is supported by the lifecycle envisioned by ISO 26262 and is specific to the automotive safety lifecycle rather than the more‐generalized lifecycle in IEC 61508. It is generally accepted across the automotive industry that system safety must be designed into the product before production launch rather than added to the product after it is built. System safety is considered in the earliest concept, as expected from applying the safety culture discussed in Chapter 5. Even before a contract is granted, aspects of system safety are included in the request for quotation and the subsequent quote. Then, system safety must be ensured throughout the design and development and maintained in operations (production and repair), use, and disposal. The system safety process is used to ensure that each of these considerations is adequately addressed.

The phases of the automotive lifecycle consist of concept through disposal. Auditing and assessment ensure that the system safety process is executed, using a systematic approach in each phase. This is mandated by the safety policy and implemented by the safety process. Any omission could lead to unreasonable risk, so diligence is required.

Consumer expectations for safety demand this diligence. ISO 26262 provides some guidance regarding systematic execution of a safety process by phase. Work products ...