Functional Safety
Driving the Future, Safely — Where Innovation Meets ISO 26262 Assurance
With the rapid advancement of modern vehicles powered and regulated by sophisticated Electronic Control Units (ECUs), the demand for safe, intelligent, and reliable automotive electronics has never been higher. As these electronic systems become the backbone of critical vehicle functions—from braking and steering to power management and ADAS—the need for advanced safety measures has become more critical than ever.
Functional safety in automotive electronics plays a vital role throughout the ECU software development lifecycle, ensuring that both hardware and software systems perform reliably—even in the event of internal faults or external disruptions. This is essential for preventing failures that could compromise vehicle safety or driver control.
At its core, automotive functional safety focuses on identifying, assessing, and mitigating potential risks arising from malfunctions in electronic and electrical systems. Through structured functional safety analysis and risk classification, manufacturers can define, implement, and validate safety mechanisms that prevent or minimize hazards in real-world driving scenarios.
These practices are governed by the internationally recognized ISO 26262 standard, which provides a comprehensive framework for achieving and maintaining high levels of functional safety in automotive electronics. Compliance with this standard ensures that electronic systems are not only high-performing but also robust, fail-safe, and aligned with the safety expectations of modern mobility.
How does MNES add value?
Deep Multi-Domain Automotive Experience
Trusted in Complex Safety Projects
End-to-End Functional Safety Expertise
Expertise Across Key Platforms
Our Services for
Functional Safety (FuSa)
CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
We define safety-critical items, assess risks (HARA), set high-level safety goals (FSC), and establish functional safety requirements and management processes.
SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT
We convert safety goals into technical solutions (TSC), allocate safety responsibilities, and conduct detailed system-level risk analyses like FMEA and FTA.
SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT
We define and implement safety-focused software requirements, conduct testing, provide expert reviews, and perform software-level risk assessments (SW FMEA).
Our CapabilitiesFunctional Safety: Engineering Confidence into Every Mile.
- Safety Product Lifecycle Management
- AUTOSAR BSW Safety Implementations
- FuSa Level 3 Safety Pack Integration and Testing
- System Capabilities for Automotive Safety
- Semiconductor Safety Development Lifecycle
- Zonal and HPC Architectures, Electrified Powertrains (E-PWT), and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS).
FAQs
1. What is functional safety in automotive?
Functional safety in automotive ensures that electronic and electrical systems in vehicles operate safely, even when faults occur. It involves designing systems to detect, prevent, or mitigate risks caused by hardware or software failures.
2. Why is functional safety important in vehicles?
With the growing complexity of ECUs, sensors, and automated systems, functional safety is critical to avoid dangerous failures that could compromise passenger safety or system performance.
3. What is ISO 26262?
ISO 26262 is an international standard for functional safety in automotive systems. It outlines the safety lifecycle and provides guidelines for risk assessment, design, implementation, verification, and validation of safety-critical functions.
4. What is ASIL in functional safety?
ASIL (Automotive Safety Integrity Level) is a risk classification system defined in ISO 26262. It ranges from ASIL A (lowest) to ASIL D (highest) based on the severity, exposure, and controllability of potential hazards.
5. What is HARA and why is it needed?
HARA (Hazard Analysis and Risk Assessment) is the process of identifying potential hazards and determining the necessary ASIL. It forms the foundation for setting functional safety goals.
6. How do you perform functional safety analysis?
Techniques like FMEA (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis), FTA (Fault Tree Analysis), and FMEDA (Failure Modes, Effects, and Diagnostic Analysis) are used to identify, analyze, and address potential failure modes.
7. Do all automotive systems need to be ISO 26262 compliant?
Not all, but any system that could affect vehicle safety—such as steering, braking, or ADAS—must meet ISO 26262 requirements depending on its safety impact and assigned ASIL.
8. What deliverables are required for functional safety compliance?
Typical deliverables include safety plans, HARA, FSC/TSC documents, safety requirements, verification reports, safety analysis reports, and a safety case summary.
Let’s start your project to be realized.
We’re committed to helping you create safer, more reliable vehicles. Whether you’re developing next-gen ECUs or enhancing system compliance, MNES is your partner in automotive functional safety.