PRESS RELEASE: Mecel helps the automotive industry meet new safety standard

New standard and new challenges

The new ISO 26262 standard for Functional Safety in road vehicles, replacing the IEC 61508, will have a major impact on the automotive industry. All OEMs and their suppliers should adhere to the standard and make sure that functionality affecting driver and passengers as well as people in the vicinity of the vehicle will be as safe as required. For best results when interpreting and implementing the ISO 26262 standard it is recommended to use an independent expert company.

Dr Hakan Sivencrona, Head of Mecel’s Functional Safety-team has long experience within the area and is an ISO 26262 expert. He helps companies find the right levels when implementing the new standard. “It’s about getting a high probability that accidents will not happen.” Dr Hakan Sivencrona says. With a trend of more features and greater complexity in embedded vehicle systems, such as anti-collision system, there is a growing risk of systematic and random errors in both software and hardware. Failure in these critical systems can result in more or less serious situations. “With ISO 26262 a new industry structure has emerged that Mecel has helped create. Our active role in the development of ISO 26262 gives us a broad knowledge of the standard and how it can be interpreted.” Dr Hakan Sivencrona continues.

An assurance for manufacturers and customers

“The standard can be viewed as an assurance that the product has a high level of safety.” says Kent Eric Lang, CEO at Mecel. “It can be compared with the pharmaceutical industry’s clinical trials where a set of proven procedures are conducted to ensure safety. In the same way the automotive industry now must provide assurance to both customers and society at large that electronic safety systems provides freedom from unacceptable risk.” Kent Eric Lang continues

Experience in providing security

The new ISO 26262 standard has already been applied in several customer projects and Mecel notice a growing interest of their safety expertise. Mecel’s Functional Safety experts are well equipped to meet the challenges ahead with their customers. The services offered include Safety Management, Safety Engineering, ISO 26262 Training, Process Implementation and Functional Safety Assessment.
 
The team of safety engineers has a wide range of experience in the field of security from various projects such as collision avoidance systems and hybrid electric propulsion. They are involved in the working groups for ISO 26262 as well as the AUTOSAR Safety Working Group and have contributed in many areas. An example is the development of the concept SEooC (System Element out of Context), where Dr. Hakan Sivencrona has been a main contributor. This gives the team deep knowledge regarding the standard and how it could be interpreted. Driving the develpment forward, Mecel is involved in several research projects in the security domain in close collaboration with vehicle manufacturers and suppliers.

Press Contact

Dr. Hakan Sivencrona, M.Sc.E.E.
Safety Manager
hakan.sivencrona@mecel.se
+46 31 7204433

About ISO 26262

ISO 26262 is an industry-specific standard for safety-related electrical systems in passenger cars up to 3.5 tonnes. The standard addresses potential risks that may arise in and between the electrical, electronic and programmable electronic safety-critical systems. Security means freedom from
unacceptable risk. Society, customers and governments have high expectations for preventing accidents and reducing risks to a tolerable level.

ISO 26262 classifies safety related functions within the vehicle in safety levels (so-called ASIL) from A to D - from least to most stringent. ISO 26262 have been published as a draft international standard (DIS). Vehicle manufacturers and suppliers must adapt their development processes to the new international standard which will take effect in mid-2011.

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Read more about ISO 26262 here