Complete Learning Module

ISO 26262 Safety Lifecycle

End-to-end safety lifecycle management from concept through decommissioning across all ISO 26262 phases

15
In-depth chapters
12
ISO 26262 parts covered
V-model
Development approach
End-to-end
Lifecycle coverage

What You'll Learn

Build complete competency in iso 26262 safety lifecycle through structured, progressive learning.

Plan the full lifecycle

Create a comprehensive Safety Plan covering all lifecycle phases from concept through decommissioning

Execute HARA correctly

Conduct rigorous hazard analysis and risk assessment to derive safety goals with correct ASIL assignments

Manage phase gates

Define, execute, and document phase gate reviews with complete entry and exit criteria for each lifecycle phase

Control work products

Establish a complete work product catalog and traceability matrix across all lifecycle phases

Apply lifecycle tailoring

Correctly tailor the ISO 26262 lifecycle for derivative products, pre-existing elements, and constrained development contexts

Integrate HW and SW phases

Coordinate hardware and software development phases within the V-model to ensure consistent safety requirement coverage

15 Comprehensive Chapters

Each chapter builds your iso 26262 safety lifecycle expertise systematically from foundations to advanced application.

1

Overview

Introduce the ISO 26262 safety lifecycle as the organizing framework for all functional safety activities from concept to decommissioning.

Lifecycle conceptPhase overviewPart-to-phase mappingKey objectives
2

Concept Phase

Understand the activities of the concept phase: item definition, initiation of safety lifecycle, and hazard analysis and risk assessment.

Lifecycle initiationItem definitionHARA overviewSafety goal derivation
3

Item Definition

Create a complete item definition including item functions, operating modes, system boundary, and relevant safety-related interactions.

Item boundaryFunction listOperating modesSafety-related interfaces
4

HARA Phase

Execute the Hazard Analysis and Risk Assessment to identify hazardous events and assign ASIL levels based on severity, exposure, and controllability.

Situation analysisHazard identificationS/E/C classificationASIL table
5

Safety Goals

Derive safety goals from the HARA, specify safe states, and establish the Functional Safety Concept as the top-level safety strategy.

Safety goal formulationSafe state definitionFTTI specificationFSC structure
6

Product Development (System Level)

Execute system-level product development activities from Technical Safety Concept through system design, integration, and validation planning.

TSC developmentSystem designASIL decompositionValidation planning
7

HW Development

Manage the hardware development phase from HW safety requirements through architectural design, detailed design, and hardware verification.

HW safety requirementsFMEDAHardware metricsHW verification
8

SW Development

Manage the software development phase from SW safety requirements through architecture, unit design, coding, and software testing.

SW safety requirementsSW architectureUnit testingIntegration testing
9

Production & Operation

Address production process requirements, field monitoring obligations, and operational feedback loops defined in ISO 26262-7.

Production planningProcess controlsField monitoringWarranty analysis
10

Service & Decommissioning

Define service procedures for safety-relevant repairs and updates, and establish safe decommissioning processes for end-of-life.

Service planningOTA update safetyDecommissioning criteriaRecord retention
11

V-Model Integration

Understand how the ISO 26262 V-model integrates system, hardware, and software development levels with corresponding verification activities.

V-model structureCross-level integrationVerification alignmentPhase interdependencies
12

Phase Gates & Milestones

Define entry and exit criteria for each lifecycle phase gate and establish milestone reviews that confirm readiness to proceed.

Phase gate criteriaEntry conditionsExit conditionsReview evidence
13

Work Products

Catalog all ISO 26262 work products by phase, identify mandatory versus recommended status, and establish documentation standards.

Work product catalogMandatory vs. recommendedDocument templatesTraceability requirements
14

Tailoring Strategies

Apply lifecycle tailoring strategies for different project contexts including derivative projects, pre-existing systems, and time-constrained programs.

Tailoring criteriaDerivative item rulesPre-existing systemJustification documentation
15

Lifecycle Planning

Create a comprehensive Safety Plan that schedules all lifecycle activities, assigns responsibilities, and integrates with the project management plan.

Safety plan structureActivity schedulingResource planningPlan review and update
ISO 26262

6 Lifecycle Structure Diagrams

Experiment with visual tools that bring iso 26262 safety lifecycle concepts to life.

Complete Safety Lifecycle

End-to-end ISO 26262 safety lifecycle timeline from concept phase initiation through decommissioning with all phases and key work products

V-Model Integration Diagram

Full ISO 26262 V-model showing system, hardware, and software development levels with verification and validation alignment across levels

Phase Gate Criteria Matrix

Matrix diagram of entry and exit criteria for each lifecycle phase gate with evidence types and review roles required for progression

Work Product Traceability

Traceability map linking ISO 26262 work products across concept, system, HW, SW, and supporting process phases with cross-references

Safety Plan Structure

Hierarchical diagram of a complete Safety Plan structure showing activity blocks, schedule milestones, and responsibility assignments

Lifecycle Tailoring Decision Tree

Decision tree guiding engineers through lifecycle tailoring choices for derivative products, pre-existing systems, and COTS elements

Full Lifecycle Case

ASIL D EV Battery Management System: Full Safety Lifecycle

An EV manufacturer applied the complete ISO 26262 safety lifecycle to a new battery management system. Meticulous phase gate management and early safety planning reduced the assessment preparation time from the industry average of 18 months to 11 months.

  • Safety lifecycle initiated 36 months before SOP with Safety Plan approved at project launch
  • HARA identified 42 hazardous events; 11 safety goals derived with ASIL D for battery thermal runaway prevention
  • Phase gate reviews at 6 milestones generated 847 documented action items, all closed before SOP
  • ISO 26262 functional safety assessment completed with 3 minor findings and zero major findings

Safety Plan Template

Activity 1.1: Safety lifecycle initiation - Owner: FSM - Milestone: M0 - Evidence: Safety Plan v1.0
67 additional Safety Plan activities (unlock Advanced plan)

Master the ISO 26262 Safety Lifecycle

Gain end-to-end mastery of the ISO 26262 safety lifecycle from concept phase to decommissioning across all development levels

Start Learning Now
15 chapters6 lifecycle diagramsComplete work product catalog