System safety in computer-controlled automotive systems

In this paper, the author presents a summary of the state of the art in software system safety. The paper begins with a discussion on different types of accidents encountered in software systems. The role of software in accidents is covered, followed by a discussion on system safety. The author discuss the safeware methodology which extends the basic system safety engineering process to handle digital components and subsystems. The paper concludes with a description of an experimental design and development environment known as Specification Tools and Requirements Methodology (SpecTRM). The focus of SpecTRM is to support the design,implementation and maintenance of complex, safety-critical systems.