Ssangyong Motor Company (SMC) introduced the solutions for verifying compliance with ISO 26262, the international standard in automotive functional safety, completing the functional safety response system. As SMC established the functional safety response system following Hyundai & Kia, ISO 26262 is forecast to be quickly spread throughout the domestic automotive industry.

SMC (CEO Lee Yoo-il) announced on January 21 that the company introduced the solutions for detecting software defects ‘QAC’ and ‘VectorCast’ in compliance with the ISO 26262 standard.

These two products are developed by UK’s QA and Vector Software respectively, and the domestic distributor is MDS Technology specializing in embedded SW. SMC is planning to use them to verify whether the SW it develops on its own or the SW supplied by vendors comply with ISO 26262.

QAC detects defects in the codes based on the coding rules. It ensures SW quality by supporting the coding rules required by ISO 26262. Over 4,000 companies, including Hyundai & Kia, Hyundai Mobis, BMW, Benz and Volkswagen, are already using this solution.

VectorCast is a solution for detecting errors by directly executing the vehicle control SW. It provides the unit and integrated testing and code analysis function required by the ISO 26262 standard. In particular, it can ensure reliability by conducting vehicle control SW tests in the actual environment.

SMC formed the functional safety response task force team (TFT) in 2011 and now has its own verification solutions. As Hyundai & Kia also uses the same solutions to secure SW quality, the domestic automotive industry is believed to be accelerating its endeavor to respond to ISO 26262.

SMC prepared the ‘design concept description,’ which must be complied with when component hardware, software and systems are made, during the TFT activities, and gave it to vendors. The company prepared its own guideline for compliance with the international functional safety standard and has its own verification system. SMC is planning to use it to apply ISO 26262 to the key parts related to driving, braking and steering that it develops starting this year.

“As we have all the elements necessary for compliance with the international functional safety standard, we have now completed the response system itself,” said Jeong Jae-wook, head of the Functional Safety Task Force Team of Ssangyong Motor Company. “We will divide the roles into what vendors must do and what the auto maker must do, and develop parts to which ISO 26262 is applied.” He added, “The introduction of the ISO 26262 verification solutions has now enabled not only the vendors, but also the auto maker to verify compliance with the standard.”

Glossary - ISO 26262

ISO 26262 is an international automotive functional safety standard established by the ISO to prevent accidents due to the errors of the automotive software.