Formal methods and industry

The Pentium processor bug, the failure of the AT&T switching system, the deaths related to overdosing from the Therac 25 irradiation machine, and reported software failures in Airbus aircraft provide evidence of the risks taken when we use advanced computer systems to control critical systems. When these critical systems are operational, financial resources, corporate reputations, industrial secrets, human lives, and the environment are all at risk. The complexity of these systems prohibits the use of conventional design and analysis techniques to provide high levels of confidence in the correct operation of these systems. The application of formal design and analysis to these critical systems is essential to provide this high level of confidence, and thus reduce the risks involved in the use of these systems.