The launching ceremony of the ISO 26262:2018 certification project was held at HengDrive’s Shenzhen headquarters. Participants included department heads and technical backbones from R&D, engineering, quality, production, sales and marketing. The company introduced state-of-the-art development and management concepts for automotive functional safety to support the smooth implementation of the certification work.
As a globally recognized functional safety standard for road vehicles, ISO 26262 is regarded as the admission credential for the automotive industry. It applies to automotive electrical and electronic systems throughout their full lifecycle, covering conceptual design, system development, hardware and software iteration, production, operation and scrapping.
The standard defines five Automotive Safety Integrity Levels (ASIL), ranging from QM, A, B, C to D. ASIL D is the highest grade, applicable to critical vehicle systems such as braking, steering and power control. In essence, ISO 26262 provides standardized methodologies to minimize errors in automotive electronic systems.
3. Project Initiation Motivations
Specializing in brushless DC motors and drive controllers, HengDrive has obtained the IATF 16949 automotive quality certification and established stable cooperation with renowned automakers including Li Auto, XPEV, BYD and SAIC Motor.
With the booming development of autonomous driving, steer-by-wire chassis and intelligent thermal management, OEMs have raised supply chain requirements from basic quality compliance to controllable functional safety. Currently, ISO 26262 certification has become a critical threshold for electronic component suppliers to enter global high-end automotive supply chains. This certification project is launched for the following purposes:
• To build standardized functional safety development workflows and enhance product safety and stability;
• To meet the stringent requirements of international automakers and facilitate global business expansion;
• To accumulate ample experience for subsequent process and product certification of ISO 26262.
4. Core Benefits of ISO 26262 Certification
4.1 Access to Global High-end Supply Chains
ISO 26262 certification serves as a key credential for cooperating with international OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers. It verifies HengDrive’s international-standard safety development capability and strengthens market competitiveness in automotive component sectors.
4.2 Risk Control and Loss Reduction
The standardized management system effectively avoids systematic failures and controls random hardware risks. It protects end-users’ safety and reduces product recall risks caused by electronic component defects, cutting potential economic losses for clients.
4.3 Improved Brand Credibility
The authoritative third-party certification validates the maturity of HengDrive’s R&D and risk management systems. It enhances trust from automotive manufacturers and differentiates the company in business bidding.
Following the IATF 16949 certification, the ISO 26262 certification project represents another critical upgrade of HengDrive’s automotive business capabilities. The company will establish a complete functional safety management system in line with ISO 26262:2018, covering management, system development, hardware & software development and supporting procedures.
HengDrive will continuously invest in vehicle-grade electric drive technologies. Adhering to safety-oriented and innovation-driven development strategies, the company is committed to becoming a leading global provider of intelligent electric drive system solutions.
