A generic framework for failure modes and effects analysis of automotive networks

Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) is a standardized approach during the development of safety-relevant systems in order to systematically identify and address the possible system failures as well as analysis their effects. In the case of FlexRay-based distributed systems, the communication network technology is complex and presents high variability due to the large range of allowed topologies and configurations. In this work we present a generic framework for performing generic FMEA for the communication network system. The proposed framework provides guidance during the application of the analysis and enables the automation of some steps of the process. We further illustrate the application of the proposed framework through a case study which analyzes the Electrical Physical Layer (EPL) of a four nodes FlexRay in-vehicle communication network.