Sensor ICs, semiconductors and safety

To achieve ISO 26262 compliance, engineering practices must be taken to a higher level. The following insights may prove valuable for getting there.

What system-level risks and related safety implications are lurking within the vehicles you're developing? Electrification, greater overall electronics content and the trend toward autonomous vehicle operation have engineers concerned that any related failures do not reduce the safety levels already achieved by systems or peripherals.

ISO 26262 was created to standardize development processes, to ensure that functional safety is maintained if a vehicle's electrical and/or electronic systems fail. The goal is to create a safety culture within a company wherein safety is regarded as an integral element in the product development process. The ISO standard also relates to semiconductor products. It requires that a qualification process be applied to the tools (schematic capture, layout, simulation, etc.) utilized to develop integrated circuits (IC.) The compliance of said tools must be verified well before development begins (see figure above).