ABSTRACT
This chapter considers some imaginary companies and their tribulations while they design and develop their products for use in safety-critical systems, and follow them through their certification process. In the terminology of the automobile industry, Alpha Device Corporation (ADC) is a “tier 1” supplier to an original equipment manufacturer, the company that actually makes the cars. Of course, ADC does not create all the components in the device itself; both hardware and software components are bought from suppliers and integrated with ADC’s own application code. ADC has gone one step further in its negotiations with Beta Component Incorporated and has named the certification body from which Beta Component Incorporated has to achieve its certification. Beta Component Incorporated makes software components to be used by companies such as ADC in mission-and safety-critical applications. By buying a certified component, ADC is not reducing its liability.
