Functional Safety sits at the intersection of engineering precision and human trust, it’s what keeps complex systems behaving safely when things go wrong. This presentation unpacks what Functional Safety really means, the standards that define it, and the everyday examples that make its importance unmistakable.

We’ll then shift gears to the automotive world, where safety is not optional and innovation never slows down. As vehicles evolve into rolling computers, the implications for safety, regulation, and certification grow just as rapidly. The session explores how the industry is adapting, from tried-and-true safety frameworks to bold new approaches driven by software-defined design and collaboration.

Finally, we’ll take a candid look at process culture: the traditional corporate playbook versus the open, transparent methods emerging from the Eclipse Foundation’s ecosystem. Can open-source development meet the strict discipline of safety-critical engineering? The answer may define the future of how we build—and trust—the next generation of automotive software.

Presentation objective: To demystify Functional Safety by connecting its technical foundations to real-world relevance, illustrate how it evolves within the automotive industry's shift toward software-defined vehicles, and explore how open collaboration models (like those at the Eclipse Foundation) can coexist with, and even enhance, the rigor required for safety-critical systems.

Basic knowledge of SW development methods and best practices

Basic knowledge of the Automotive industry and products

Outcomes: Attendees will learn how safety, software, and openness can coexist without the whole thing catching fire.

Dana Vede is a passionate automotive software professional with 25 years of experience and a background as an electronics engineer.

Her career spans various software project roles, leading to a deep understanding of software processes and methodologies. As an A-SPICE assessor and CMMi auditor, she champions quality assurance.

Since April 2023, Dana has been Automotive Process Engineer at the Eclipse Foundation, facilitating community discussions on automotive open-source software practices and functional safety processes. She also supports the Eclipse ThreadX project's functional safety, cybersecurity certifications, and community growth.

You can meet Dana at our usual Eclipse SDV dedicated events like the Community Days and OCA.

Shifting Gears with SDV: When Safety Meets Open Source: Building Trust in the Software-Defined Road