Ricardo Helps Define Future Automotive Safety Standards

AUTO CENTRAL – July 21, 2009: Publication of the draft international standard ISO/DIS 26262 (Road vehicles – Functional safety) marks a major step forward in the creation of next-generation processes for the development of safety-related electrical and electronic systems for road vehicles

The publication of the draft ISO/DIS 26262 standard is the result of a major international collaboration of automakers, tier 1 suppliers, systems integrators, and electrical, electronic and control systems developers. Inputs to the new standard have been discussed and developed at a national level and subsequently coordinated via the committee structure of the International Organization for Standardization. Development of ISO 26262 commenced in late 2005 and aims to bring standards for the development of safety critical systems up to date by focusing on the specific needs of road vehicles and encompassing state-of-the-art design processes increasingly used by the automotive industry such as model based control system development. Published this month, the draft standard is available for comment pending completion and publication of the final version later this year.

Ricardo has been an active participant of the UK contribution to the new draft standard through its control & electronics business based in Cambridge. Commenting on its contribution to this important work, Steve Montgomery, Ricardo director of control systems software, said:

“Safety-related electrical and electronic systems are an increasingly important aspect of automotive product development, a trend accelerated by the increasing electrification of vehicle architectures and the implementation of new innovations in intelligent transport technologies. This is a crucial area of Ricardo’s business as we work with leading automakers in the development of their new products and assist other safety critical systems developers in the implementation of best practice design and development processes. We are pleased therefore to have been able to contribute actively to the development of this important new international standard.”