What does AFSP mean in

Automotive Functional Safety is a system of processes and procedures engineered to enable the development of safe products for use in vehicles. The aim of such systems is to reduce or eliminate hazardous conditions, accidents and other risks associated with automotive-related functions and operations.

Automotive Functional Safety Professionals are professionals that specialize in the engineering and implementation of safety standards, procedures and controls for the development of autonomous vehicle systems and other automotive-related applications. This includes developing safety plans, testing safety systems, safety audits and providing support during the product design process.

Automotive Functional Safety Professionals need a range of technical skills related to automotive engineering, including knowledge of software engineering principles, design frameworks, embedded systems engineering fundamentals and experience working with a variety of programming languages. In addition, they must possess strong analytical thinking abilities as well as excellent problem solving skills.

While both disciplines involve developing software for use in vehicles, their focus differs; software engineering focuses on creating high quality code with an emphasis on usability while functional safety engineering sets out to ensure that the system meets predetermined safety requirements prior to release into production.

An Automotive Functional Safety Professional is responsible for designing, implementing and testing processes that ensure the safe operation of automated driving systems or other automotive-related applications. They may also be involved in designing features such as emergency stop buttons or setting up protocols for data collection from autonomous vehicle systems.

You will need a relevant bachelor's degree preferably in a field related to software engineering, computer science or electronics; certification in an internationally accepted standard such as ISO 26262 or IEC 61508; experience working on projects related to automated driving systems or embedded software development; knowledge in specific areas such as system architecture modeling; familiarity with integrated circuit design principles; experience dealing with hazardous situations;and knowledge about international regulations pertaining to automotive safety.

You can obtain necessary certification through formal training courses offered by providers such as TUV SUD in select countries around the world where you can receive instruction from experts specialized in automotive functional safety standards. Additionally, many organizations offer online courses which enable you to learn at your own pace before taking a certification exam at your chosen location.

The cost for obtaining AFSP certification varies depending on your chosen training provider but can range anywhere from $800-$1000 USD depending on whether you opt for self-paced online learning or face-to-face instruction at a classroom setting.