Unique Methodology to Cluster and Reuse the “Hazard Analysis and Risk Assessment” for Different Electrical/Electronic Systems of an Automobile

<div class="section abstract"><div class="htmlview paragraph">Modern automotive systems are becoming increasingly complex, comprising tightly integrated hardware and software components with varying safety implications. As the demand for ISO 26262 compliance grows, performing efficient and consistent Hazard Analysis and Risk Assessment (HARA) across these layers presents both methodological and practical challenges. Traditional approaches often involve performing HARA for an item (where item maybe a system or a combination of systems), which can lead to update of HARA for every new feature addition in an item, which in turn may lead to analysis of same functions in multiple HARAs leading to inconsistent risk categorization, redundancy, or even conflicting safety goals. Therefore, this paper proposes a unique HARA methodology which consolidates the list of functions from various systems and performs the HARA for the grouped functions (hereby referred to as Cluster HARAs)<b>.</b> For example, Electrical power steering, Electric pump powered hydraulic steering, Electric motor assisted – hydraulic steering, have identical functions but are being analysed separately for many years which causes redundancy and results in increased effort. Once a cluster HARA is created, in case of development of a new feature/function or update of an existing feature/function, we check only for similar functions in the existing cluster HARAs and take up the corresponding safety goals. In this way, all the systems / components which has the same function, refer to the cluster HARA and no redundant HARAs are created, resulting in decreased effort from implementation point of view. In short, the proposed methodology will greatly reduce the number of HARAs that are handled across all systems. The benefits of using this methodology also involve identifying unique safety goals for each function, irrespective of how the function is implemented. When the new E/E features are developed which uses the existing vehicle functions, it simplifies the workflow by reusing the existing cluster HARAs.</div></div>