OREANDA-NEWS. March 29, 2012. Toshiba Corporation (TOKYO: 6502) today announced that it has received the highest level of ISO26262 certification for software development process from TUV SUD, a German-based international certification organization. Toshiba went through the certification process jointly with Panasonic Corporation and WITZ Co. Ltd. and the three companies received certification at the same time.

ISO26262 establishes stringent standards for functional safety [1] in all aspects of the electrical and/or electronic (E/E) systems of passenger cars. It covers ten parts spanning product development to post-release, including processes, hardware and software. Four levels of automotive safety integrity levels (ASIL) are defined, ASIL-A to ASIL-D, with D as the highest. Toshiba received ASIL-D for its software development process, which covers comprehensive systems and components, among them motors, inverters and semiconductors.

With road transport more prevalent in daily life than ever, the need for a recognized international standard for car E/E systems safety has never been higher. ISO26262 meets that need with a standard that uses ASIL to promote a risk-based approach to determining and responding to classes of risk. At each level, the ASIL specifies the necessary requirement for avoiding an unreasonable residual risk, along with measures for securing validation and confirmation. The ultimate goal is not only to minimize dangerous risk but to develop systems able to counter any incidence of the risk.

ISO26262 was introduced on November 15, 2011 as an international standard aimed specifically at assuring the functional safety for car E/E systems. Certification recognizes that a company's process or product meets the criteria specified under the standard and provides third parties with an independent means of assessing the capabilities of a potential supplier.

Toshiba develops and manufactures a wide range of automotive components, including motors, inverters, batteries, microcomputers and their related software. In 2009, the company received certification for its microcomputers for automotive electronic control units under IEC61508, the functional safety standard covering E/E systems for all categories of products. By receiving ISO26262 certification as well, Toshiba will promote the continued expansion of its automotive systems business and provide secure, reliable products that meet the highest international safety standards.
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Functional safety based standards seek to minimize risk resulting from system failures. Toshiba's certification with ISO26262 enables potential customers to recognize the quality of its E/E systems for car applications.