Motor Industry Software Reliability Association, abbreviated as MISRA, provides guidelines for developing safety- and security-related electronic systems, embedded control systems, software-intensive applications, and standalone software. MISRA is a collaborative effort among vehicle manufacturers, component suppliers, and engineering consultancies. It is managed by a Steering Committee that includes Ford Motor Company, Bentley Motors, Jaguar Land Rover, HORIBA MIRA, ZF TRW, and the University of Leeds.
What is MISRA?
MISRA is a set of guidelines, not a standard. MISRA’s aim is to promote best practices in software development within the automotive industry with the intention of improving safety and security. MISRA compliance is voluntary, but many companies choose to adopt MISRA because it provides a common language and framework that can be used across different departments and organizations.
MISRA was first published in 1998 and has since been updated several times. The latest version, MISRA C:2012, was released in 2012.
Why is MISRA important?
MISRA compliance is often required by automotive OEMs and suppliers. MISRA helps to improve the quality of software by reducing errors, improving safety, and making code more maintainable. MISRA compliance also helps to reduce the cost of software development by reducing the need for rework and debugging. MISRA compliance furthermore, encourages communication between different departments and organizations.
Also, the guidelines specified by MISRA facilitate the code development such that they are:
- Strongly reliable to run inside safety systems
- Adequately secured against cyber-attacks
- Easily portable/reusable throughout the supply chain.
What are the challenges of MISRA compliance?
MISRA compliance can be challenging because it requires a deep understanding of the MISRA guidelines. MISRA compliance can also be time-consuming and expensive.
In-car computers now manage everything from anti-lock brakes and power steering to navigation and information systems. These technologies are provided by a variety of manufacturers. And the software supply chain is getting longer, with several vendors contributing to the code that goes into each finished product.
The MISRA C/C++ code standard has become the most widely used for automotive systems. However, it does not address more recent C++ language updates, and it does not take into account recent security breaches and vulnerabilities.
MISRA Guidelines:
The most well-known MISRA standards are those that address projects created in the C and C++ programming languages. The following three standards, as well as a slew of others, have been published: MISRA C 2004, MISRA C++ 2008, and MISRA C 2012.
- MISRA C:2004 – Guidelines for the Use of the C Language in Critical Systems
- MISRA C++:2008 – Guidelines for the Use of the C++ Language in Critical Systems
- MISRA C:2012 – Guidelines for the Use of the C Language in Vehicle Based Software
The MISRA guidelines are divided into three categories: coding guidelines, documentation guidelines, and management guidelines.
Coding Guidelines:
The MISRA coding guidelines are a set of rules that software developers must follow when writing code. The MISRA coding standards are categorized into four levels: Mandatory (M), Required (R), Advisory (A), and Optional (O).
Documentation Guidelines:
The MISRA documentation guidelines are a set of rules that documenters must follow when writing documents such as requirements specifications, design documents, and test plans.
Management Guidelines:
The MISRA management guidelines are a set of rules that managers must follow when managing software development projects.
MISRA Vs ISO-26262:
MISRA is often compared to ISO 26262, which is a similar standard for the development of safety-critical systems. MISRA was developed specifically for the automotive industry, while ISO 26262 was developed for the general aerospace and automotive industries. MISRA is voluntary, while ISO 26262 is mandatory for companies that want to do business with the automotive industry.
The MISRA standard, which is maintained by the European Organisation for Standardization (CEN), focuses on security coding standards. ISO 26262 concerns itself with functional safety precautions and assigns risk categories called ASILs.
How can I achieve MISRA compliance?
There are a number of ways to achieve MISRA compliance, including using MISRA-compliant coding standards, MISRA-compliant static analysis tools, and MISRA-compliant code review tools. You can also achieve MISRA compliance by attending MISRA training courses or by obtaining MISRA certification.
MISRA compliance is voluntary, but many companies choose to adopt MISRA because it provides a common language and framework that can be used across different departments and organizations. MISRA was first published in 1998 and has since been updated several times. The latest version, MISRA C:2012, was released in 2012. MISRA compliance is often required by automotive OEMs and suppliers. MISRA can help to improve the quality of software by reducing errors, improving safety, and making code more maintainable. MISRA compliance can also help to reduce the cost of software development by reducing the need for rework and debugging.
Visure Requirements ALM Platform:
The MISRA standard is applicable to any software development process and can be used with any programming language. MISRA compliance is not a silver bullet, but it can help to improve the quality of your code. Visure Requirements ALM Platform helps you to achieve MISRA compliance by providing a central repository for requirements, design, test, and validation artifacts. The platform also includes a MISRA checker that can be used to verify adherence to the MISRA coding standards.
Conclusion:
MISRA is an international safety standard for the automotive industry that helps developers create safe and reliable software. The benefits of MISRA compliance are many, including improved quality and reduced development time and costs. Achieving MISRA compliance can be a challenge, but with the right tools, it’s possible to streamline the process. Visure Requirements ALM Platform is one such tool that can help you achieve MISRA compliance quickly and easily. Request a free 30-day trial today to see how our platform can help you improve your software development process.
