Why ASIL D now?

Article By : Junko Yoshida

OEMs are looking for architecture solutions that can balance strict safety requirements with application and processing requirements.

« Previously: Shortening the process for automotive-safety SoCs
 

If your car meets the ISO 26262 specification for ASIL D, it means that the machine [car] is “making a decision for you” when it comes across a safety-critical path, explained Angela Raucher, product line manager, ARC EM Processors at Synopsys. At ASIL B, the car would warn a driver of imminent danger, but at ASIL D, the car—faced with a hazard — brakes and stops or pulls into a safe space.

With current ADAS systems that still expect a driver to be present in a car and steer it, why is the automotive industry asking for ASIL D components now? Isn't ASIL D an overkill?

NXP believes that this is all about automotive OEMs’ need to “balance speed of development with robustness of the systems in a litigious environment.”

On one hand, the industry is rushing to develop “high-performance compute systems, which will perform strategic functions for the autonomous car.” On the other, a variety of vehicle control sub-systems inside autonomous cars “must continue to deliver a tremendous amount of intelligent and safe actuation.”

While the industry is embracing the race to autonomy, OEMs are looking for architecture solutions that can balance strict safety requirements with the rapid increase in application and processing requirements. “Safety SoCs will help in this effort as these systems proliferate to the larger-volume production vehicles,” according to NXP.

IHS' Luca De Ambroggi looks at it from another angle. He suspects that OEMs are already asking for ASIL D, regardless of their need today. “Clearly if available and for free (no markup), all OEMs would take it even today because it would save them costs.” It would not only free them from paying for redundant components, but also save them from hassles of dealing with other tricky or complex solutions.

Meanwhile, Strategy Analytics’ Ian Riches said, “ASIL D has been a focus by the automotive industry for some years.” He added, “ASIL D is simply the highest automotive-safety integrity level. It is, thus, applicable to all manner of safety-related tasks across steering, braking, etc., as well as ADAS/autonomous.” He predicts a significant need for “non-autonomous” ASIL D-capable processors for many years to come.

First published by EE Times U.S.

 
« Previously: Shortening the process for automotive-safety SoCs

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