Safety Cases for Software-intensive Systems: an Industrial Experience Report

Abstract

This paper describes the development of a safety case for the electronic throttle system for the recently launched Jaguar XK8 sports car. It presents the practical application of a wide range of safety assurance techniques to a significant industrial project and shows how these techniques may be used together to build up evidence supporting a sound safety argument.

The system design and safety assesment took full account of the risk-based approach to safety, and of contemporary and emerging standards such as diEC1508 [1]. The application of best practice was found to be both feasible and beneficial. However lessons were also learnt for future developments. Th e paper is therefore of direct relevance to practising engineers faced wut the problem of assuring the safey of computer-based systems. It is also relevant to researchers investigating how best to combine evidence to form a safety case.

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