Validation

Validation ensures that the developed item is fit for use in its operational environment and achieves its defined safety goals. This involves demonstrating that the system performs correctly and safely when operated and integrated in its intended environment, accounting for all relevant scenarios, including potential faults and failures.

In automotive systems governed by ISO 26262, validation is a critical phase that verifies whether the vehicle’s safety-related functionalities meet the defined safety requirements and overall safety goals at the vehicle or system level.

Although often mentioned together, validation and verification are distinct processes within the functional safety lifecycle.

Verification answers the question: “Are we building the product based on specified requirements?” It ensures that the outputs of each development phase meet the specified conditions of that phase. This includes activities such as code reviews, static analysis, unit testing, and integration testing.

Validation, on the other hand, determines whether the final product satisfies the overall safety goals and user needs. It is an end-to-end check that confirms the product is fit for its intended purpose in real operational conditions.

In essence:

• Verification: Are we following the design and specifications correctly?

• Validation: Does the final system actually work as intended to achieve safety, and is it suitable for its intended use?

Validation typically occurs in the later stages of the development lifecycle, after major verification activities have been completed. For safety-critical systems, particularly in the automotive domain under ISO 26262, validation is usually performed at the system level. This ensures that all integrated components, including hardware and software, function together as intended to achieve the specified safety functions.

Validation is essential because it provides the final evidence that a system is safe to operate in its intended environment. Even if individual components are verified, unforeseen interactions or emergent behaviors can arise when these components are integrated into a complex system.

Validation identifies and addresses these system-level safety issues, ensuring that safety mechanisms and functionalities perform as expected under various conditions, including stress, environmental factors, and potential failures. Without robust validation, there is no definitive proof that the system will meet its safety goals, posing significant risks, especially in industries such as automotive (ISO 26262), aerospace (DO-178C), rail (EN 50128), and industrial control (IEC 61508).

Under ISO 26262, validation is a structured, safety-critical process. It requires clear definition of scope, operating conditions, acceptance criteria, and validation methods.

Validas helps you define and execute a robust validation plan tailored to your safety goals and functional safety requirements. From scope to acceptance criteria, we guide you every step of the way to ensure your automotive systems meet the highest safety standards.