How to build an automotive-grade storage device that combines quality, reliability, functional safety and network security

This is the last article in a series of five articles on Phison’s automotive solutions. In this article, we will introduce the differences between NAND Flash storage products used in automotive systems and how to comply with automotive industry specifications.

As automotive applications continue to enrich, the demand for storage and semiconductors is also increasing. However, the rapid development of autonomous driving, new energy vehicles and electronic and electrical architecture also brings potential dangers and accident risks. In order to prevent further accidents, car manufacturers need to recall cars, which not only brings them huge economic losses, but may also adversely affect their brand image. According to reports from the National Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), at least 300 car models will be recalled in the United States in 2022, totaling more than 10 million vehicles. Potentially dangerous events pose a threat to consumers' lives and safety. How to reduce this risk has become a core issue for governments, automobile manufacturers and suppliers. In this article, we will take a look at the specifications and standards that professional automotive IC suppliers need to comply with.

Overview of automotive standards

NAND flash memory is widely used in mobile phones, personal computers, tablets, servers, games and various electronic products. However, in the automotive environment, the requirements for NAND flash memory are very different from other markets. We can simply summarize these requirements into four categories, namely quality, reliability, functional safety and network security management methods

Quality Management

Quality management covers a wide range of areas, so there are various specifications and certifications used to ensure the standards of suppliers.

First of all, ISO9001 quality management system is a universal standard formulated by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) to help companies maintain stable and consistent quality of products and services. It is one of the most well-known ISO certifications and is suitable for various fields, including but not limited to automotive applications.

Second, IATF16949 is a quality management standard for the global automotive industry, developed by the International Automotive Working Group (IATF). Although this certification is mainly aimed at production and manufacturing-related companies and is not directly applicable to fabless semiconductor design companies such as Phison, in terms of automotive products, Phison’s suppliers all comply with the IATF16949 specifications. In addition, Phison's automotive product development cycle also meets the key requirements of IATF16949 - APQP.

Third, VDA 6.3 is a quality management standard formulated by the German Automobile Industry Association (VDA) and is widely recognized by the entire automotive industry, especially by German and some Japanese customers. Its scope is similar to APQP, covering the entire product life cycle and is a second-party audit.

Fourth, Automotive SPICE (Software Process Improvement and Capability Determination) is a framework developed by the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, including BMW, Bosch, Continental, DaimlerChrysler, Ford and Volkswagen. The framework provides standards for evaluating software development processes used in the automotive industry and aims to improve the quality and reliability of automotive software. Assessment covers all aspects of the software development life cycle, from requirements management and design to testing and maintenance. Each process is evaluated based on a set of process attributes, divided into six levels from 0 to 5.

Reliability Management

Reliability management involves the ability of a product to continue to operate normally under long-term use and harsh environments. Different from quality, quality focuses on the certainty of the product in the early stage of use, while reliability focuses on the certainty of whether problems will occur after a period of use. A highly reliable product can be used in the harsh environment of a vehicle for a long time without problems. The automotive industry takes reliability seriously and relies heavily on specifications set by the Automotive Electronics Council (AEC).

Among them, the AEC-Q100 specification is formulated by AEC, which defines that IC components must pass various stress tests to meet the strict requirements of the automotive environment. These tests include temperature cycling, thermal shock, high temperature operation, low temperature operation and high temperature service life. The specification also addresses various qualification levels, with Grade 0 being the most stringent and Grade 3 the least stringent. These grades are based on the component's operating temperature range, with Grade 0 suitable for use in the most extreme temperature environments. Overall, the AEC-Q100 specification is an important standard for ensuring the quality and reliability of electronic components used in automotive applications, and is widely recognized and adopted by global automotive manufacturers and suppliers.

Functional Safety

Functional safety is a further consideration on the basis of quality and reliability. The currently widely accepted functional safety standard in the world is ISO 26262 "Road Vehicle Functional Safety". The standard was first published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in 2011 and updated in 2018. ISO 26262 provides a framework to identify and mitigate security risks in automotive systems. It requires using a risk-based approach to developing and testing these systems and taking steps to reduce the risk of potential hazards. The standard sets out several requirements for functional safety, including safety objectives, hazard and risk analysis, and functional safety verification and validation of requirements. The scope of ISO 26262 covers the entire product life cycle, maintaining traceability and documentation and providing evidence of compliance with the standard.

ISO 26262 can be used by all parties involved in the development of automotive systems, including manufacturers, suppliers and engineering companies. The aim is to improve the safety of road vehicles and reduce the risk of accidents or injuries caused by electronic or electrical faults in these systems. ISO 26262 classifies functional safety according to the degree of hazard, probability of occurrence and controllability, called ASIL-A, ASIL-B, ASIL-C and ASIL-D (Automotive Safety Integrity Level).

Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity is booming due to the concept of "Internet of Vehicles", and the proportion of vehicles with Internet-connected functions continues to increase. With this trend, another topic has arisen - "Cybersecurity", which has attracted more and more attention from the industry. In ISO/SAE 21434 "Road vehicles - Cybersecurity engineering" (Road vehicles - Cybersecurity engineering) released in 2021, standards are formulated for automotive cybersecurity (Cybersecurity) issues. This standard was jointly developed by working groups of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and has been reviewed by both organizations. ISO 21434 is based on a framework similar to ISO 26262, which requires defining the risk items to be protected and what techniques to use to achieve protection.

Exclusive interview with Phison-Automotive Planning Department

As the demand for NAND flash memory in the automotive market grows rapidly, Phison Electronics established the Automotive Planning Department in 2018. This department was established to plan and manage all automotive certifications and connect more than 250 Phison's R&D personnel from different departments established the Engineering Process Group. Over the years, it has not only helped the company pass a series of certifications, but also enabled the company to build a stronger physique in the product development process. This time, the automotive For the fifth article in the series, we specially invite Harvey Hsia, the manager of the team, to share his views.

Rick: What prompted Phison Electronics to establish a specialized department for automotive certification? Can you share the background at that time?

Harvey: At that time, we were co-developing an automotive project with a Key Customer. The customer hoped that our development process could comply with APQP and ASPICE standards. In order to achieve the goal, the entire project team spent a lot of time and effort to adjust and monitor the progress of the process. As well as the quality of the output, during this process, it was discovered that cultivating an automotive team is not easy. It is necessary to keep automotive knowledge and execution experience in the same group of people, so the company established a vehicle planning department. , used to continuously drive process improvements.

Rick: Phison Electronics has obtained quite a few automotive certifications so far. Can you share some of your practical experience and what is the key to success?

Harvey: Yes, I think a more important point is to first establish a process development framework, and make stacks and adjustments on this framework. The choice of process framework is very important, as it involves the content of each process. , division of labor and rights and responsibilities, as well as future expansion and flexibility of adjustment. At that time, we chose ASPICE as the main body of the process, and subsequently introduced APQP, ISO 26262, and ISO/SAE 21434. In the establishment of the process, we try to maintain the flexibility of the process to facilitate the selection and reduction of project processes. Only in this way can we have the opportunity to use the same process framework to meet Phison's diverse business models and customer needs for various automotive standards. .

Rick: Finally, I would like to ask, how much resources does it take to complete vehicle-related certifications? Is this really beneficial to Phison?

Harvey: I think various automotive standards help to segment the positioning of different automotive components, but they also raise the entry threshold for component suppliers. In the case of Phison Electronics, we have used it for five years. It took time to achieve ASPICE CL3, and it took two years to obtain the ISO26262 ASIL-D process certification. The introduction of these processes is very labor-intensive and time-consuming, not to mention the additional manpower invested in the product development stage. Likewise, If this type of product needs to comply with ISO26262, then the development cycle will be 1.3 to 1.6 times that if ISO26262 is not selected, which directly increases the development cost of the product. For car manufacturers and Tier 1, it is not economical to develop such a product by themselves. of. For Phison, we face so many customers that we have the opportunity to make such a huge investment valuable. I think it will be more cost-effective for customers to develop and certify it for us. This is also what Phison can do. Create another level of product differentiation.

Phison Electronics – Dedicated to automotive applications and creating the strongest automotive product line

As mentioned above, although NAND Flash storage devices have long been used in various electronic systems, however, in order to achieve high levels of quality, reliability, functional safety and network security in the automotive market, huge investments are necessary.

Phison Electronics does not compromise in the design of automotive products. In terms of quality, it not only has ISO9001 and APQP, but can also cooperate with customers to conduct VDA6.3 audits. Product development and production are 100% carried out by suppliers with IATF16949 certification, and they have also obtained Obtained ASPICE CL3 product certification. In terms of reliability, the entire range of automotive solutions has passed AEC-Q100. In terms of functional safety, it passed the highest level certification of ISO26262 ASIL-D in 2021, and cooperated with customers to develop ASIL-B level products. Regarding ISO21434 cybersecurity, which will be launched in 2021, the Vehicle Regulation and Planning Department is also introducing it. Phison Electronics is committed to creating the highest quality, reliable and safest automotive NAND Flash solutions.