ISO 26262

ISO 26262 is the international standard for functional safety of electrical and electronic systems in road vehicles, adapted from IEC 61508 and applicable across the full automotive development lifecycle from concept through decommissioning.

Last updated: April 2026

Key Facts

Term: ISO 26262
Full title: Road vehicles — Functional safety
Published by: International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
First published: 2011 (Edition 1); revised 2018 (Edition 2)
Parent standard: IEC 61508
Risk classification: Automotive Safety Integrity Level (ASIL A, B, C, D, plus QM)
Number of parts: 12
Vehicles covered: Passenger cars, motorcycles, trucks, buses, semiconductors (post-2018)
Recognised certification schemes: TUV SUD, TUV Rheinland
Typical course duration: 3 to 5 days

What is ISO 26262?

ISO 26262 is titled "Road vehicles — Functional safety." Published in 2011 and revised in 2018, it applies to electrical and electronic safety-related systems in road vehicles up to the decommissioning phase.

The standard introduces the Automotive Safety Integrity Level (ASIL) as its risk classification scheme, derived from the SIL concept in IEC 61508 but tailored for vehicle hazard analysis. ISO 26262 covers concept, system design, hardware development, software development, production, operation, service, and decommissioning. The 2018 second edition expanded scope to cover motorcycles, trucks, buses, and semiconductors. It is a required reference for original equipment manufacturers, tier suppliers, and software vendors in the automotive industry.

How ASIL Differs from SIL

SIL (IEC 61508): Uses probabilistic targets (PFD, PFH) across four levels.
ASIL (ISO 26262): Uses qualitative hazard analysis (Severity, Exposure, Controllability) across four levels (A, B, C, D) plus a non-safety QM level.
Mapping: ASIL D is broadly comparable to SIL 3 in rigour, but the standards do not provide a formal mapping.

How Automotive Training Providers Deliver ISO 26262 Courses

Automotive functional safety training providers deliver ISO 26262 as a multi-week curriculum covering hazard analysis, ASIL determination, system and software architecture, hardware and software verification, and tool qualification.

Course content includes Hazard Analysis and Risk Assessment (HARA), ASIL allocation and decomposition, and case studies drawn from ADAS, powertrain, braking, and steering systems. Delegates include automotive software engineers, hardware engineers, system architects, ADAS engineers, and functional safety managers from OEMs and suppliers. Providers commonly deliver private cohorts at OEM and tier-one engineering centres, alongside open-enrolment public cohorts. Delivery requires cohort scheduling that respects engineering project phases, identity verification at exam, certificates recognised by certification schemes such as TUV SUD or TUV Rheinland, and branded client portals for OEM training programmes.

Common Questions

What is ASIL in ISO 26262?

ASIL stands for Automotive Safety Integrity Level. It is a four-level risk classification (A, B, C, D) plus a non-safety QM level, derived from hazard analysis using Severity, Exposure, and Controllability factors. ASIL D requires the highest rigour.

How does ISO 26262 relate to IEC 61508?

ISO 26262 is the automotive sector adaptation of IEC 61508. It inherits the safety lifecycle and risk-based approach but uses ASIL instead of SIL and adds requirements specific to vehicle development.

Who needs ISO 26262 training?

Automotive software engineers, hardware engineers, system architects, ADAS engineers, functional safety managers, and assessors working at OEMs, tier suppliers, and semiconductor vendors. Most pursue a recognised scheme certification to demonstrate competency on safety-critical projects.

Did the 2018 revision change the scope of ISO 26262?

Yes. The 2018 revision expanded scope to cover motorcycles, trucks, buses, and semiconductors. The original 2011 edition was limited to series production passenger cars up to 3,500 kg.