Mar. 27, 2023 –
By Gina Roos, EETimes (March 27, 2023)
Chipmakers are very clear about what functional safety means for their microprocessor/microcontroller (MPU/MCU) designs for automotive applications. The ISO 26262 functional safety standard for electrical and electronic (E/E) systems in vehicles defines guidelines and a framework to ensure that the automotive components work correctly as intended, minimizing the risk of accidents. Chipmakers, however, are facing bigger implementation challenges with the industry’s increasing shift to electrification, autonomous cars, software-defined vehicles and new E/E architectures.
“The standard itself really gives a broad framework on how to address functional safety, but it doesn’t prescribe specific safety architectures or specific safety implementations,” said Mathieu Blazy-Winning, functional safety director at NXP Semiconductors.