Automotive Semiconductors and Functional Safety
Which correctly describes the concept of automotive functional safety?
- AUsing only high-quality components to bring the component failure rate to zero, guaranteeing that no failure of any kind ever occurs during the vehicle's service life
- BDesigning the vehicle so that accidents never occur no matter what incorrect operation the driver performs
- CNot eliminating failures, but reducing risk to an acceptable level, for example by detecting failures when they occur and transitioning to a safe state
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. Not eliminating failures, but reducing risk to an acceptable level, for example by detecting failures when they occur and transitioning to a safe state
Since component failures cannot be eliminated completely, functional safety aims to prevent a hazardous situation when a failure occurs. For example, if an anomaly is detected in the motor control of electric power steering, assist is stopped, a warning lamp notifies the driver, and the system moves to a state in which the driver can steer manually. ISO 26262 defines functional safety as the absence of unreasonable risk due to hazards caused by malfunctioning behavior of E/E systems. It does not guarantee that accidents will never happen.
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