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Almost all new functions in a modern car have to be integrated into the existing EE-Architecture of the automobile. It is a challenge by itself to achieve a correct functional behavior across a complex network of various communication systems, gateways and multifunctional electronic control units. The method of physical distribution of sub-functions into such a network and the following functional consolidation of the decomposition have been used for years and will not change. The functional safety of the growing number of direct interventions into vehicle dynamics systems like steering, braking, and acceleration must be carefully analyzed. Does the standard hazard analysis and risk assessment provide enough information to develop dependable safety architectures? Do we understand the impact of consecutive faults and what may cause them to be triggered? Do we fully understand the functionality of carry-over electronics?

In the automotive industry, the planning of safety activities is becoming a standard topic on the daily agenda of project centers and engineering departments. In the meantime, the entire planning and realization process of safety relevant functions is driven by the new safety standard for automotive electronics – ISO 26262. Safety planning as such is nothing new, but the question is how to achieve high planning efficiency on the one hand and conformance with the comprehensive requirements of the standard on the other hand. This paper reports on the concept of an integrated approach to plan, connect, track and evaluate defined safety activities along the safety lifecycle. The concept is based on using the original content of the standard as a reference then generating the headlines of various parts of the safety planning process. It demonstrates a way to register the required work products and to connect them to the corresponding documents, which are generated in a safety project.

Safety of automotive electronics is drawing attention to a growing community. The existing variety of rules and regulations will predominantly be replaced by the new automotive safety standard ISO WD 26262. This paper reports on experiences with the application of the new standard in safety projects and the difficulties which arise from the current working draft stage. It focuses on software safety capability determination against a background of continuously changing regulations. An approach is described for assessing the competence level of stakeholders and for providing the results in a familiar scale of scoring. Furthermore the paper addresses common aspects with ISO 15504, which is concerned with software process improvement and capability determination. Finally, a project of integration is suggested.