Hardware Podcasts

421: Paint the Iceberg Yellow

Embedded.fm · 21 Jul 2022 · 1h 16m · Episode 421

What this episode covers

Chris Hobbs, who works in kernel development at BlackBerry QNX and authored 'Embedded Software Development for Safety-Critical Systems,' explains the distinction between safety-critical and standard embedded systems, emphasizing safety culture and the concept of SOTIF (Safety of the Intended Functionality). He details how modern systems, such as autonomous vehicles and medical devices, face risks from 'accidental systems' where interactions between components create unforeseen hazards, citing examples like a radar system dependent on jammed GPS. Hobbs advocates for goal-based standards like UL 4600 and the use of Safety Cases with Goal Structuring Notation to demonstrate safety rather than relying on prescriptive checklists. He also discusses the challenges of verifying machine learning algorithms, the limitations of languages like C and Rust in safety contexts, and the importance of structured risk analysis using tools like Bayesian fault trees and LaTeX for traceability.

Most relevant to

large enterprises

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
BlackBerry QNX
Tools
Socrates
Also
Embedded Software Development for Safety-Critical Systems, UL 4600, IEC 61508, ISO 26262, MISRA C, Rust, Ada, SPARK Ada

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