ABSTRACT
The genesis of DO-254 stems from concerns that as electronics technology rapidly evolved, enabling systems to become more complex and to host more functionality, proving that these systems were safe and reliable was becoming more and more difficult. Most of the electronic systems and programmable logic devices (PLDs) that are used on modern aircraft are well beyond our ability to prove safe through quantitative analysis, and in the absence of this avenue of design assurance, the only other viable means of establishing the necessary design assurance is to use structured and disciplined processes and methodologies during their development. The guidance in DO-254 was written to apply to all complex electronic hardware that performs safety-critical system functions. While DO-254 discusses PLDs, they are considered within the context of system and equipment development, and not necessarily as the only aspect of the system that should use the guidance in DO-254.
