Software, OTA & Digital Integrity Principles
Practical principles for software-enabled vehicle functions, over-the-air (OTA) updates, and digital integrity across the supplier ecosystem—aligned to IAF’s membership-based collaboration and committee-led review under IAQC oversight.
Purpose and scope for members
This page outlines shared principles used by IAF members to structure expectations for software development, OTA delivery, and digital integrity controls in automotive supply chains. The intent is to support consistent communication between OEMs, Tier suppliers, and technology providers when defining requirements, evidence, and operational responsibilities.
These principles are not regulatory requirements and do not represent legal authority. Any IAF recognition or approval is available only after membership and is subject to committee review with International Automotive Quality Council (IAQC) oversight.
Core principles for software, OTA, and digital integrity
Members commonly use the principles below to reduce ambiguity in supplier engagements, strengthen update governance, and improve the quality of evidence supporting software and digital integrity claims across the lifecycle.
Defined update governance and responsibilities
Establish clear roles for software ownership, release authority, rollback decision-making, and escalation paths across OEMs, suppliers, and platform providers, including responsibilities for field monitoring and incident response.
Evidence-based release documentation
Maintain release notes, compatibility statements, configuration baselines, and test evidence that are traceable to requirements and risk decisions, enabling consistent review across programs and supply tiers.
Integrity controls across the delivery chain
Apply controls that protect authenticity and integrity of software artifacts and update packages, including controlled build and release processes, secure distribution practices, and verification steps at installation.
End-to-end traceability and configuration management
Ensure traceability from requirements to code, test results, and deployed configurations, with controlled identifiers for software versions, dependencies, and vehicle applicability to support audits and field investigations.
How members apply these principles in supplier engagements
In practice, members use these principles to structure supplier requirements and acceptance criteria for software-enabled components and services (for example, ECUs, middleware, cloud services, and update platforms). Typical outcomes include clearer definitions of “what must be controlled,” “what evidence is required,” and “who is accountable” across development, release, deployment, and post-deployment monitoring.
When appropriate, members may align internal checklists and assessment approaches to these principles to improve consistency across programs. Any formal IAF recognition pathway remains membership-based and is evaluated through committee review with IAQC oversight, based on documented conformance and supporting evidence.
Governance and oversight within IAF
IAF operates as a membership-based federation. Principles and related guidance are maintained through member participation and committee processes, with International Automotive Quality Council (IAQC) oversight to support consistency, transparency, and documented decision-making. Recognition or approval, where applicable, is available only after membership and only following committee review under IAQC oversight.
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