Role of Automotive Functional Safety Engineers in EVs: India's Growing Need for Safety Expertise

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13 Oct 2025

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Role of Automotive Functional Safety Engineers in EVs: India's Growing Need for Safety Expertise

India's electric vehicle revolution is accelerating at an unprecedented pace, with EV sales reaching 17.3 lakh units in 2023-24 and projected to cross 25-30 lakh units in 2025. As the nation moves toward its ambitious target of 30% EV adoption by 2030, a critical challenge emerges: ensuring the functional safety of increasingly complex electric vehicle systems. This surge in EV adoption has created substantial opportunities for Automotive Functional Safety Engineers who specialize in implementing ISO 26262 standards for electric vehicles.

Understanding Functional Safety in the EV Context

Functional safety in electric vehicles goes beyond traditional automotive safety paradigms. While conventional vehicles primarily focus on mechanical and basic electrical safety, EVs introduce high-voltage systems, sophisticated battery management, and complex power electronics that demand specialized safety engineering. ISO 26262, the international standard for road vehicle functional safety, provides the framework for managing these risks throughout the vehicle development lifecycle.

The standard defines Automotive Safety Integrity Levels (ASIL) ranging from A (lowest risk) to D (highest risk). In EVs, battery management systems (BMS) typically require ASIL C classification, while electric motor drives and high-voltage systems often demand ASIL D compliance - the most stringent safety requirements.

What Exactly is Functional Safety?

In simple terms, functional safety is about ensuring that all electronic and electrical systems in a vehicle operate correctly and safely, without causing harm. It’s not about crumple zones or airbags (which are physical safety); it’s about preventing system failures that could lead to hazardous situations. For an EV, this means ensuring that:

The battery management system (BMS) never overheats or causes a thermal runaway.
The vehicle doesn’t accelerate unexpectedly.
The brakes apply reliably, even when assisted by regenerative braking systems.
High-voltage systems are completely isolated to protect occupants and technicians.

Key Responsibilities of EV Functional Safety Engineers

Automotive Functional Safety Engineers working on electric vehicles in India shoulder critical responsibilities that directly impact vehicle safety and regulatory compliance:

Safety Architecture Development: Engineers define functional safety architectures for EV-specific components including battery thermal management systems, high-voltage isolation mechanisms, and power electronics fault detection systems.
Risk Assessment and Analysis: Conducting comprehensive Hazard and Risk Analysis (HARA) for EV systems, particularly focusing on thermal runaway prevention, overcharge protection, and external short circuit containment. These analyses determine appropriate ASIL classifications for each system component.
Safety Requirements Management: Developing and documenting technical safety requirements (TSRs) and functional safety requirements (FSRs) specific to electric powertrains, ensuring traceability throughout the development process.
Verification and Validation: Implementing rigorous testing protocols including fault injection campaigns, diagnostic coverage analysis, and safety mechanism verification to ensure EV systems meet their designated ASIL levels.
Cross-functional Collaboration: Working closely with battery engineers, power electronics specialists, and software teams to integrate safety mechanisms across the entire EV ecosystem.

Skill Requirements for Success

The evolving EV landscape demands a unique combination of traditional automotive safety knowledge and electric vehicle-specific expertise:

Technical Competencies: Deep understanding of ISO 26262 standard implementation, ASIL decomposition strategies, and safety analysis methodologies including FMEA, FTA, and FMEDA.
EV-Specific Knowledge: Expertise in battery management systems, high-voltage safety protocols, and thermal management for electric powertrains.
Tool Proficiency: Experience with safety engineering tools such as Medini Analyze for safety analysis and requirements management platforms like Jama.
Regulatory Awareness: Understanding of Indian EV standards including AIS-156 and GSR norms, alongside global safety regulations.

Recognizing the skill gap, organizations like the Automotive Skills Development Council (ASDC) have partnered with institutions to develop EV-specific safety training programs. ASDC offers NSQF-certified courses in EV fundamentals, addressing the growing need for skilled professionals.