LG Electronics (LG) is the first company to meet international testing standards for vehicle functional safety and cybersecurity management.

LG research engineer Kim Min-kyu obtained the Automotive Functional Safety Expert qualification, becoming the second individual ever to do so since the qualification program was established in 2011, according to an LG news release.

The qualification is part of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO)’s 26262 Functional Safety Standard for electrical and electronic systems in production automobiles. As defined by TÜV NORD, the standard requires safety-relevant technical system producers “to develop their systems according to all technical and scientific aspects of functional safety,” which the application of “leads to correlating documented safety evidence of conformity.”

ISO/SAE 21434 was added last year on top of ISO 26262 to address the “cybersecurity perspective in engineering of electrical and electronic (E/E) systems within road vehicles,” according to ISO, and “will help manufacturers keep abreast of changing technologies and cyber-attack methods, and defines the vocabulary, objectives, requirements, and guidelines related to cybersecurity engineering for a common understanding throughout the supply chain.”

LG has also received functional safety certification for its advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) front camera in the “4M” (Material, Method, Machine, Man) categories. The company’s vehicle components comply with the Cyber Security Management System (CSMS) United Nations Economic Commission for Europe’s (UNECE) regulation No. 155 (UN R155).

LG describes the camera as the vehicle’s “eyes” to view, collect, and analyze traffic information in autonomous vehicles (AVs) and driver assistance systems.

“This front camera is crucial for cars to continuously understand, update, and inform the driver of the road, traffic system, and nearby car information,” LG states on its website. “Without eyes, you can’t drive, so it’s a key component of future mobility.”

The camera assists with automatic emergency braking (AEB), lane keeping assist, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, intelligent headlight control, and recognizing traffic signs.

For collision repairers, this likely means even more advanced in-vehicle features requiring pre- and post-scans to ensure proper and safe functionality post-repair. For example, LG and Mercedes-Benz collaborated on ADAS camera technology for seven years and won the 2020 AutoSans Vision Award for its use of the camera in the 2021 Mercedes C-Class.

“With the rising importance of vehicle security and safety regulations in the global auto industry, acquiring certification for our auto components and technologies is key to maintaining competitiveness,” said Eun Seok-hyun, LG Vehicle Component Solutions Co. president. “LG will continue to comply with the latest standards and grow its capabilities in safety and security to provide our customers with even more reliable solutions.”

In 2018, LG secured technical certification for Functional Safety Management (FSM) in infotainment development, and in 2021, its ADAS front camera passed assessments for functional safety product and processes based on ISO 26262.

“We congratulate LG on producing Asia’s first Functional Safety Expert, an achievement that reflects the company’s outstanding, across-the-board performance in acquiring top industry certifications and qualifications,” said Frank Juettner, CEO and director of TÜV Rheinland Korea. “Obtaining the latest certifications, including ISO/SAE 21434, demonstrates LG’s commitment to providing its customers and partners with the highest level of product, system safety and security.”

LG also plans to lead future trends in autonomous driving, where functional safety will be centered on the fast-growing area of Safety of The Intended Functionality (SOTIF). LG says SOTIF is “becoming increasingly important as the entire auto industry seeks to incorporate and expand the use of various advanced technologies in their vehicles, including artificial intelligence (AI), high-definition maps, sensor data interfaces, and cybersecurity applications.”

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Featured image: LG Electronics (LG) is the first player to meet international testing standards for functional safety and cybersecurity management for vehicles. (Credit: LG)