Safety-critical software and current standards initiatives

Abstract

This paper sets out to examine the role of standards in the development of safety-critical software. It starts with a brief discussion on the nature and role of standards and then moves on to identify some of the standards making bodies. Safety-critical software is next discussed and the problems of software safety are contrasted with those of traditional electromechanical devices. There then follows a review of some of the current initiatives to produce standards addressing the development of safety-critical systems containing software. Two standards are then examined in detail to provide an insight into what requirements are placed on the developers of safety-critical software. Lastly, mention is made of some weaknesses that are inherent in today's standards, and some of the some efforts that are being made to address these problems are discussed.