A development methodology for safety-critical systems

Project leader: Bert Dexters

In 1771, brake failure on a steam-driven vehicle caused an accident. Ever since, the safety aspects of vehicles have become increasingly important. This project follows this development. It aims to minimise the risks of an accident due to faulty development or external failures. Today, these risks are relatively high due to the integration of electro-mechanical and software components which have greatly increased vehicles' complexity. This complexity can lead to faults or failures which, in turn, can cause dangerous situations. So a methodology was developed for this project for a more systematic approach to systems development and the management of projects, with the intention of better managing complexity and minimising the risk of errors. Despite the fact that an ever-increasing number of safety systems are fitted to vehicles, acquiring knowledge in this domain is very relevant, not only for safety reasons but also for economic reasons.