Automatic allocation of safety integrity levels

In this paper, we describe a concept for the automatic allocation of general Safety Integrity Levels (SILs) to subsystems and components of complex hierarchical networked architectures that deliver sets of safety critical functions. The concept is generic and can be adapted to facilitate the safety engineering approach defined in several standards that employ the concept of integrity or assurance levels including ISO 26262, the emerging automotive safety standard. SIL allocation is facilitated by HiP-HOPS, an automated safety analysis tool, and can be performed in the context of development using EAST-ADL2, an automotive architecture description language. The process rationalizes complex risk allocation and leads to optimal/economic allocation of SILs.