Automotive engineering is a complicated and dynamic industry that needs a methodical approach to requirement management. The automobile industry relies heavily on requirements management to ensure the effective development of physical components and systems. The process of defining, documenting, validating, and managing the demands and limitations of a project or product is known as requirements management.
Requirements management is critical in automotive engineering for establishing a vehicle’s functional and technical characteristics and assuring traceability and consistency throughout the development process. Engineers, vendors, and consumers are among the many parties involved in the requirements management process.
Effective requirements management aids in the development process by improving performance and safety while lowering costs. However, requirements management in automotive engineering needs to be improved. The fast-changing technology and global nature of the automobile sector may make efficient requirement management challenging.
The Process of Requirements Management
In automotive engineering, the requirements management process is divided into many main components. The initial stage is to determine and record the requirements. This includes obtaining information from stakeholders, assessing the request, and consulting with subject matter experts. The requirements must then be verified and validated. This involves ensuring that the standards are comprehensive, consistent, and attainable.
The third phase is to handle requirement changes. This involves modifications being tracked and reported on and appropriately integrated into the development process. The last step is to monitor and report on requirements throughout the development process.
Requirements engineering and management technologies, such as SPICE, are used in requirements management and can enhance the process and boost efficiency. In addition, professionals in the area play a significant role in requirements management, giving direction and assistance throughout the process.
Read more here for a handy step-by-step guide on how to break down requirements
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Managing Project Requirements in Automotive Engineering
Managing requirements in automotive engineering projects may be challenging, especially when working with interdisciplinary teams and on international projects. Identifying and documenting requirements is an essential element of requirements management. This includes obtaining information from stakeholders, assessing the request, and consulting with subject matter experts.
Specifying the type of requirement, whether functional or technical, is critical to ensure that all stakeholders understand the requirements.
After identifying and documenting the criteria, the following step is to check and validate them. This involves ensuring that the standards are comprehensive, consistent, and attainable. Verification and validation may be accomplished using several approaches like testing, simulation, and inspection.
Managing requirements modifications is also an essential component of the process. This involves changes being tracked and reported on and appropriately integrated into the development process. This may be accomplished by instituting a traceability methodology and employing tools to monitor and track changes.
Finally, monitoring and reporting requirements throughout the development process are critical. This may be accomplished by employing technologies to monitor and track requirements throughout the lifetime.
Managing Automotive System Requirements
It is critical to consider hardware and software components when handling requirements for automotive systems. The essential elements of a vehicle, such as an engine, gearbox, and brakes, are referred to as hardware requirements. The programming and functioning of the vehicle’s systems, such as the navigation and entertainment systems, are software requirements.
In the automobile sector, managing requirements for safety-critical equipment is very vital. Braking, steering, and other systems crucial to the vehicle’s safe operation are examples of safety-critical systems. These systems necessitate a greater degree of requirements management and more stringent verification and validation procedures.
Furthermore, the increasing integration of connected and autonomous cars has created new requirements management issues in the automobile sector. These vehicles necessitate extensive software and hardware integration and the capacity to monitor and adjust requirements in real time. New tools and processes must be implemented to manage the need for these sophisticated systems.
Top 5 Requirements Management Tools for the Automotive Industry
Valispace
Valispace is a software tool designed for requirements management in automotive engineering projects. It allows teams to manage and trace requirements, BOMs and interfaces, and also to collaborate on design and testing.
Valispace is the only solution here that links requirements (and components) to technical data and engineering values. Meaning that if requirement parameters change somewhere in the project, you’ll automatically see the effect that this has on the overall system. Speak with our experts and see how Valispace fits in to your engineering workflow today
IBM Rational DOORS
IBM Rational DOORS is a widely used requirements management tool that offers a range of features such as traceability, impact analysis, and requirements management. It is used by automotive engineering companies that need to manage complex, technical projects.
IBM DOORS can be quite complex and difficult to learn, especially for users who are not familiar with requirements management tools.
Jama Software
Jama Software also has capabilities like traceability, collaboration, and impact analysis. It is well suited for automotive engineering companies that need to manage large, complex projects.
A limitation of Jama Software for hardware engineers is that it may not be as well suited for projects with the highest degree of technical complexity.
ReqView
ReqView offers a range of features such as traceability, collaboration, and impact analysis. It is particularly well suited for automotive engineering companies that need to manage large, complex projects and need to collaborate with remote teams.
ReqView may not be as well suited for projects with a high degree of technical complexity and may not offer all the functionalities as other more complex tools.
Helix RM
Helix RM offers traceability, collaboration, and impact analysis. It is a good option for automotive engineering companies and can integrate with other tools such as JIRA, Confluence, and more.
Helix RM may not be suitable for product development with a great deal of technical intricacy, and might not provide all the features that other more complete requirements tools do.
Problems and Solutions
Managing the needs of interdisciplinary teams and worldwide projects might take much work. One option is clearly outlining each team member’s tasks and responsibilities and ensuring everyone understands the requirements. It is also critical to have a consistent strategy for managing requirement changes and to employ technologies that can assist in managing and tracking requirements throughout the development process.
Another problem is handling requirements for continuously changing technologies. One option is to stay current on the newest innovations in the sector, analyze them, and be ready to modify the requirements management process.
Finally, managing compliance and regulatory requirements is an essential part of requirements management in the automobile business. It is critical to verify that all requirements fulfil the basic safety and regulatory standards and that a precise mechanism for managing compliance is in place.
The Future of Automotive Engineering Requirements Management
Technological advancements, such as the growing usage of linked and autonomous cars, significantly influence requirements management in the automobile sector. More sophisticated technologies and approaches for requirements management, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, are expected to be used in the future.
The usage of digital twin technology, which may assist in enhancing the development process and boost productivity, is one of the emerging trends in requirements management for automotive engineering. Furthermore, virtual and augmented reality is becoming increasingly prevalent in the development process.
To prepare for future requirements management difficulties, automotive engineers must keep current on technological changes and be willing to adjust their requirements management method as needed.
Summary of Best Practices
Requirements engineering and management is critical for the automobile sector to accomplish innovation, product improvement, and supplier overview. To summarize, requirements management is a vital component of the automotive engineering process.
It is crucial to the effective development of hardware components and systems, and it aids in improving the development lifecycle, achieving excellent performance and safety, and lowering costs.
Managing requirements for interdisciplinary teams and worldwide projects, as well as compliance and regulations, are all challenges. The utilization of modern tools and techniques such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, as well as new trends such as digital twin technology, will be part of the future of requirements management in the automobile industry.