Sondrel builds functional safety into IP platforms
The increasing processing power of electronic devices means it is vital that the system does exactly what it was programmed to do for a given situation. This compliance is known as functional safety (FuSa), explained Sondrel. It is increasingly important for many application areas where AI is making critical decisions, and specifically ISO 26262 in the case of automotive design.
Ben Fletcher, Sondrel’s director of engineering, explained, “For customers developing products that require ISO 26262 compliance, lots of evidence is required to show that the product does meet the required FuSa standards. It can be really useful if all the sub-components have been built with safety in mind.” This applies to the digital IP used in ASIC designs as well as physical sub-components.
The company argued that the process is easier when developing a product based on Sondrel’s Architecting the future IP platforms, such as the SFA 250A or SFA 350A for automotive applications. The IP that is already verified to ISO 26262. In addition, both contain an independent FuSa monitor which complies to ISO 26262 ASIL D – ASIC Safety Subsystem (ASS). They also have individual subsystems that are responsible for the detection and, where applicable, the correction of errors.
Pre-designing and pre-qualifying IP platforms as much as possible allows the designer to integrate the customer’s own or third party IP to complete the ASIC. “As a result, up to 30% of the design time and costs can be reduced as well ensuring an even faster time to market as a lot of the necessary qualification work on FuSa and ISO 26262 has already been done,” said Graham Curren, Sondrel’s CEO.
FuSa can also be used to make the chips safer for other safety-critical application areas such as space, medical or aviation.
Founded in 2002, Sondrel handles every stage of an IC’s creation. Its award-winning, define and design ASIC consulting capability is complemented by its turnkey services to transform designs into tested, volume-packaged silicon chips. This single point of contact for the entire supply chain process ensures low risk and faster times to market.
Headquartered in the UK, Sondrel supports customers around the world via its offices in China, India, France, Morocco and North America.
