The application of IEC 61508 in
the automotive industry
Ekkehard Pofahl
Ford Research & Advanced Engineering,
D
(Summer 2005)
Abstract
The generic standard IEC
61508 was developed to improve functional safety aspects of all electrical, electronic
and programmable electronic safety-related systems (E/E/PES, abbreviated EEPES
for the rest of the paper). Unfortunately the lifecycle model of IEC 61508 does
not fit for cars. Many individual methods, procedures and requirements of IEC
61508, however, are targeted against generic EEPES equipment and many of them
are already used in the automotive industry to guarantee functional safety for
cars. These methods are considered to be included and refined in an upcoming automotive
standard for functional safety. This derivative of the IEC 61508 will be prepared
by the automotive companies, the automotive suppliers and technical service companies
(German TUVs).
26. Oktober 2008