Substandard Auto Parts
Most of the auto parts manufacturers working with the Hyundai Motor Group failed their ISO 26262 functional safety tests that the group carried out between May and September of this year.
According to the Electronic Times, foreign suppliers such as Bosch and Continental recorded high scores in the assessment, whereas most Korean firms were found to be at the bottom. The auto parts of major Korean manufacturers like Hyundai Mobis and Mando failed to meet the group’s qualification criteria, too. Specifically, most Korean companies scored 30 to 40 out of 100 points, while the minimum level suggested by the group is 75.
The test was conducted over dozens of assessment items based on ISO 26262, including organizational capabilities and R&D processes. Those failing to improve their levels by the end of next year cannot supply parts to Hyundai any longer. Hyundai is also in trouble, with the domestic procurement of functionally safe automotive application components becoming an increasingly urgent issue. Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Motors are planning to require ISO 26262 for all of the parts of their cars from the beginning of 2016. This is expected to pose a significant challenge, particularly to smaller firms that are suffering from the lack of financial and human resources to cope with the policy.
ISO 26262 was put into effect in November 2011 by the International Organization for Standardization. Its purpose is to enhance the functional safety of the electrical and electronic systems of automobiles by means of standardized development.
“European automakers such as BMW, Volkswagen, and the Daimler Group have already adopted ISO 26262 for their new models,” the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards explained, adding, “Korean auto parts manufacturers will have to follow them without delay.”