Providing convincing evidence of safety in X-by-wire automotive systems

A new generation of automotive systems, such as brake-, steer-, throttle-by-wire, and combinations of these by-wire systems, offer the promise of improved vehicle performance and safety. However, these by-wire systems represent a major technology change, and as a result, merit higher levels of analysis, design, and verification. Like other safety-critical systems, the case for safety should be carefully documented. However, the safety case contains diverse material, and compiling and maintaining a clear and understandable safety case document can be challenging. We overview some of the key aspects of by-wire automotive systems and the system safety program we are developing, describe an approach we have taken to compiling and maintaining the safety case, and describe how this approach can help us document convincing evidence of safety in X-by-wire automotive systems