Safety mechanisms for random ECU
hardware failures in compliance with
ISO 26262
Master of Science Thesis in Embedded Electronic System Design
DAVID JOHANSSON
PHILIP KARLSSON
Department of Computer Science and Engineering
Chalmers University of Technology
Gothenburg, Sweden June 2015
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Safety mechanisms for random ECU hardware failures in compliance with ISO 26262
DAVID JOHANSSON,
PHILIP KARLSSON,
c DAVID JOHANSSON, June 2015.
c PHILIP KARLSSON, June 2015.
Examiner: PER LARSSON-EDEFORS
Chalmers University of Technology
University of Gothenburg
Department of Computer Science and Engineering
SE-412 96 G¨oteborg
Sweden
Telephone + 46 (0)31-772 1000
Department of Computer Science and Engineering
G¨oteborg, Sweden June 2015
Abstract
The increasing complexity of today’s automotive electronic systems makes it chal-
lenging for manufacturers to ensure a high safety level in their vehicles. As a response,
the ISO 26262 functional safety standard will be introduced for heavy-duty vehicles in
2018. Therefore, the hardware and software solutions developed by Volvo Group Trucks
Technology will need to be adapted to comply with this standard.
In addition to an analysis of ISO 26262, this thesis provides a case study of how the
Volvo Engine Brake (VEB) can be adapted to comply with the standard. The analysis
is focused on the electronic hardware of the engine control unit, and examines various
safety mechanisms to improve the current system. The hazard of unwanted activation
of the engine brake function is estimated to have ASIL C - the second most critical
safety level. To comply with the requirements of ASIL C, the peripheral circuits of
the engine brake should include both low and high-side MOSFET switches. Although
a hardware-based diagnosis solution for actuator failures is presented, the study shows
that a software-based safety mechanism is sufficient, which reduces the amount of extra
hardware required. Additionally, if the inputs to the engine brake application are consid-
ered to be safety critical in a full evaluation, redundant sensors are required to meet the
targets for ASIL C. A number of the solutions proposed in the concept for compliance
with the standard are implemented and verified through a prototype.
i
Acknowledgements
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Agne Holmqvist and Julianus Larson
who have been our supervisors at Volvo Group Trucks Technology. They have assisted
us throughout the thesis work and provided us with valuable feedback. Also, we would
like to thank Erik Svang˚ard and his group for giving us the opportunity to perform our
thesis work at their department. Finally, we would also like to thank Lena Peterson, our
supervisor at Chalmers, who has helped us with questions of academic nature.
David Johansson, Philip Karlsson, G¨oteborg, 3 June 2015.
ii
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Contents
1 Introduction
1.1 Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1.2 Aim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1.3 Problem description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1.4 Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1.5 Scope
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1.6 Organization of the thesis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1
2
2
2
4
4
5
2 The ISO 26262 standard
6
6
2.1 Work flow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
7
2.2
Item definition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8
2.3 Hazard analysis and risk assessment
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.4 Functional safety concept
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2.5 Technical safety concept and requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
2.6 Hardware development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
2.6.1 Hardware evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
2.6.2 Hardware architecture metrics
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
2.6.3 Random hardware failure metric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
3 Volvo Engine Brake
21
3.1 Exhaust Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
3.2 Volvo Compression Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
4 A concept for compliance with ISO 26262
25
4.1
Item definition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
4.2 Hazard analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
4.3 Functional safety concept
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
4.4 Technical safety concept . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
4.4.1
Subsystem interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
4.4.2 Microcontroller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
iv