“ASQMS Expert Commentary” is an article series on ASQMS by many automotive software quality experts around the world, based on each’s personal review, practice, implementation, or assessment of ASQMS.
(“ASQMS Expert Commentary” is an article series on ASQMS by many automotive software quality experts around the world, based on each’s personal review, practice, implementation, or assessment of ASQMS.)
Sathiyamoorthy Ramamoorthy
Automotive Software Quality Leader | ASPICE Provisional and CySec Assessor | UL CFSP ISO 26262 | TÜV Nord Cybersecurity Engineer ISO 21434 | TÜV SÜD AI Quality Engineer
I've noticed that many of you have been inquiring about the similarities and differences between IATF 16949 (Automotive Quality Management System) and ASQMS (Automotive Software Quality Management System). Here's a breakdown of the main clauses and the advantages of adapting ASQMS.
1. Scope:
IATF 16949: Quality management system requirements are for the design and development, production, and, if applicable, assembly, installation, and services of automotive-related products, including those with embedded software.
ASQMS: Software Quality Management System requirements apply to organisations involved in the development, deployment, operation, maintenance, and servicing of software in the automotive industry ecosystem.
Advantage: ASQMS also covers organisations not within the scope of IATF that develop off-vehicle software, such as roadside, cloud-side, and field-side software, as well as software tools.
2. Normative and Informative References:
IATF 16949: ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems Requirements and Control Plan. CMMI and ASPICE are informative references for software process assessment.
ASQMS: Software quality and safety standards (e.g., ISO/IEC 90003 Software Engineering, ISO/IEC/IEEE 12207 Systems and software engineering – Software life cycle processes, ISO 26262 Road Vehicles – Functional Safety).
Advantage: ASQMS is based on the state-of-the-art software standards.
3. Terms and Definitions:
IATF 16949: Automotive manufacturing terms.
ASQMS: Software engineering terms from ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 Systems and Software Engineering Glossary.
Advantage: ASQMS utilises software engineering terminology to facilitate the application of software standards such as ASPICE and ISO 26262.
4. Context of the Organization:
IATF 16949: Unique and supplementary requirements on the scope, customer-specific requirements, conformance of products and processes, and product safety, in addition to the ISO 9001 requirements.
ASQMS: ISO 9001 requirements are adopted under Section 4.1, Context of the organisation and Section 4.2, Management system fundamentals
Advantage: Organisations that already have ISO 9001/IATF 16949 quality management systems will find it seamless to implement ASQMS.
5. Leadership:
IATF 16949: Unique and supplementary requirements on Leadership and commitment, organisational roles, responsibilities, and authorities, in addition to the ISO 9001 requirements.
ASQMS: The ISO 9001 requirements are adopted under Section 4.2, Management system fundamentals
Advantage: Organisations that already have ISO 9001/IATF 16949 quality management systems will find it seamless to implement ASQMS.
6. Planning:
IATF 16949: Unique and supplementary requirements on risk analysis, preventive action, contingency plans and planning to achieve quality objectives in addition to the ISO 9001 requirements.
ASQMS: Simplified requirements under Chapter 4, System Management covering quality policy and objectives and management system changes.
Advantage: Organisations that already have ISO 9001/IATF 16949 quality management systems will find it seamless to implement ASQMS.
7. Support:
IATF 16949: Unique and supplementary requirements for infrastructure, environment, measurement systems analysis, calibration records, laboratories, auditor competency, awareness and documentation in addition to the ISO 9001 requirements.
ASQMS: With a strong emphasis on the software support process, ASQMS has detailed requirements in Chapter 5, supporting processes.
· Documentation management (5.1)
· Software Toolchain management (5.2)
· Equipment of facilities (5.3)
· Knowledge management (5.4)
· Configuration management (5.5)
· Problem resolution management (5.6)
· Change request management (5.7)
· Review management (5.8)
· Quality assurance (5.9)
· Supplier management and Open source software management (5.10)
Advantage: ASQMS enables the organization to adapt the software process at the quality management system level, making A-SPICE or CMMI faster to implement.
8. Operation:
IATF 16949: Unique and supplementary requirements for quality management system operations including requirements for process for quality assurance for embedded software development (internal as well as suppliers).
ASQMS: Provides detailed requirements for the software development life cycle process, as well as the service operational process for the connected vehicle ecosystem under Chapter 6, Operational processes.
· Project management (6.1)
· Requirements development and management (6.2)
· Architectural design (6.3)
· Software detailed design and implementation (6.4)
· Unit verification (6.5)
· Integration and integration test (6.6)
· Verification test (6.7)
· Supplier software project management (6.8)
· Software release (6.9)
· Software deployment (6.10)
· Software maintenance (6.11)
· User information management (6.12)
· Software termination (6.13)
Advantage: ASQMS extends software quality management from the development life cycle to the full product life cycle and enable compliance for traditional automotive organisations as well as smart mobility providers.
9. Performance evaluation:
IATF 16949: Unique and supplementary requirements for monitoring, measurement, analysis, evaluation of the manufacturing process, customer satisfaction, internal audit program including manufacturing process & product audit, and management review in addition to the ISO 9001 requirements.
ASQMS: Simplified requirements under Chapter 4.4, Performance evolution covering Monitoring and measurement, analysis and evaluation internal audit and management review.
Advantage: Organisations that already have ISO 9001/IATF 16949 quality management systems will find it seamless to implement ASQMS.
10. Improvement:
IATF 16949: Unique and supplementary requirements for Nonconformity and corrective action and continual improvement in addition to the ISO 9001 requirements.
ASQMS: Simplified requirements under Chapter 4.5, Improvement covering Improvement process, nonconformity and corrective action and continual improvement.
Advantage: Organisations that already have ISO 9001/IATF 16949 quality management systems will find it seamless to implement ASQMS.
Unique aspects of ASQMS:
Process Practices: All software quality activities in the standard refer to as Process Practice. The Process Practices are divided into three categories:
1. Basic Practice, abbreviated as BP
2. Advanced Practice, abbreviated as AP
3. Recommended Practice, abbreviated as RP
Software classification: ASQMS classifies software into two types:
1. Type I software: the software that carries neither functional safety nor cyber security risk
2. Type II software: the software that carries functional safety (ASIL A, B, C,D) or cyber security risk (CAL 1,2,3,4)
Quality requirement applicability: ASQMS requirements are applicable based on the software type.
· Type I software: Basic practices are mandatory where as advanced practices and recommended practices are optional.
· Type II software: Basic practices and advanced practices are mandatory where as recommended practices are optional.
Summary:
