67: Software for Things That Can Kill People
Hosts Chris White and Elecia White discuss the rigorous regulatory processes for safety-critical software, drawing on their experiences with the FAA (DO-178B) and FDA (510k, PMA) for medical devices and avionics. They explain how hazard analysis determines certification levels, the necessity of extensive documentation and traceability, and the tension between agile development and waterfall compliance. The conversation highlights the ethical responsibility of engineers to push back against unsafe deadlines, the use of hardware compartmentalization (FPGAs, voting systems) to ensure safety, and the legal liabilities associated with product failures.