Certification Standards for Car Informatics and On-Board Computer Systems: Essential Guidelines for Secure and Scalable Road Vehicles

Modern vehicles are rapidly transforming into sophisticated computer networks on wheels. As automotive technology integrates advanced informatics, video processing, seamless communication, and complex human-machine interfaces, the demand for rigorous certification standards for car informatics and on-board computer systems has never been greater. This guide presents an in-depth, easy-to-understand overview of four core ISO standards—each critical for organizations designing, manufacturing, or operating connected cars. By following these guidelines, businesses can ensure productivity, robust security, compliance, and scalable operations for the vehicles of today and tomorrow.

Overview / Introduction

The automotive industry is at the forefront of technological innovation, blending traditional mechanics with state-of-the-art electronics and informatics. As cars evolve into intelligent systems capable of data communication, live video processing, autonomous functions, and touchless interfaces, international standards are essential for ensuring interoperability, safety, cybersecurity, and driver usability.

Implementing recognized standards is no longer just about regulatory compliance. These benchmarks provide a structured pathway for increased productivity, market trust, and business scaling. For companies in manufacturing, integrating, or developing automotive electronics—especially in the field of car informatics and embedded on-board computer systems—keeping pace with certification standards enables:

• Increased operational efficiency through standardized processes

• Enhanced security via robust software and hardware frameworks

• Greater interoperability among vehicles, components, and communication layers

• Future-proofing against evolving compliance requirements

In this article, you’ll gain clear, actionable insights on four major ISO standards that form the backbone of modern car electronics and informatics certification.

Detailed Standards Coverage

ISO 17215-2:2014 – Standardizing Video Communication for Modern Vehicles

Road vehicles — Video communication interface for cameras (VCIC) — Part 2: Service discovery and control

ISO 17215-2:2014 addresses the complex challenge of ensuring seamless, secure, and scalable video communication among the multiple cameras that are now a hallmark of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). With the rise of in-vehicle 360° vision, lane-keeping assist, and automated parking, the need for a high-performance, standardized interface is vital.

Scope and Key Requirements: This standard focuses on

• Service Discovery and Control: It defines how cameras and processing units in a vehicle can automatically find and manage each other’s services, crucial for plug-and-play upgrades or in-service diagnostics.

• OSI Model Integration: It operates mainly at Layer 5 (session layer) and Layer 6 (presentation layer), ensuring compatibility with globally recognized networking and communication structures.

• SOME/IP Protocol: Service-oriented middleware over IP (SOME/IP) is the backbone for communication, offering lightweight, efficient, and AUTOSAR-compatible message formats that modern car networks require.

Business Implications:

• Who Must Comply: Automotive OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, and camera system integrators implementing video interfaces for production vehicles.

• Practical Use: Automates connection/configuration of new camera units, supports secure diagnostics, and allows trouble-free expansion as video requirements grow.

• Notable Features:

  • Fully describes remote procedure calls, event notification, message formats, and the interaction for live video data.

  • Ensures future upgrades or additional cameras can be integrated without disruptive overhaul.

  • Strong alignment with the AUTOSAR software architecture used industry-wide.

Key highlights:

• Defines robust, standard communication between cameras and ECUs

• Reduces integration complexity, supporting both current and future video needs

• Lays a foundation for secure, scalable in-vehicle camera networks

Access the full standard: View ISO 17215-2:2014 on iTeh Standards

ISO 21806-5:2020 – Ensuring Conformance for MOST (Media Oriented Systems Transport) Networks

Road vehicles — Media Oriented Systems Transport (MOST) — Part 5: Transport layer and network layer conformance test plan

Multimedia communication in road vehicles is integral to the user experience as well as the operation of infotainment and navigation systems. ISO 21806-5:2020 ensures that these complex in-car networks based on the Media Oriented Systems Transport (MOST) protocol conform to international requirements, guaranteeing reliable, safe, and interoperable system performance.

Scope and Key Requirements:

• Conformance Test Plan (CTP): The standard specifies a comprehensive set of test cases (CTCs) for:

  • Network layer services

  • Data transport mechanisms

  • Dynamic behavior of network nodes

• Component-Based Testing: Test setup involves upper and lower testers simulating network behavior, capturing the actual interactions of each element in the network.

• Verified Procedures: Establishes how manufacturers and integrators can prove compliance at the network and transport layers, placing a strong emphasis on reliability before deployment.

Business Implications:

• Who Must Comply: Automotive electronics makers, in-vehicle multimedia device manufacturers, test laboratories, and Tier 1 suppliers working with MOST technology.

• Practical Use: Enhances interoperability by certifying that all devices and nodes (e.g., audio, video, connectivity modules) communicate perfectly before vehicles are delivered to customers.

• Notable Features:

  • Defines precise timing, error handling, and operation under a variety of network states

  • Protects against deadlocks and ensures prompt error recovery

  • Details manufacturer information requirements for effective test reporting

Key highlights:

• Delivers detailed, repeatable tests to guarantee multimedia communication

• Reduces risk of in-field failures due to network layer incompatibilities

• Assures smooth streaming, device discovery, and management in multimedia-rich vehicles

Access the full standard: View ISO 21806-5:2020 on iTeh Standards

ISO 21956:2019 – Human-Machine Interface for Keyless Ignition Systems

Road vehicles — Ergonomics aspects of transport information and control systems — Human machine interface specifications for keyless ignition systems

Keyless ignition systems are now standard in modern passenger cars, sport utility vehicles, and trucks. ISO 21956:2019 brings crucial clarity and uniformity to the design of the human-machine interface (HMI) for these systems, directly impacting both user safety and convenience.

Scope and Key Requirements:

• Universal Ergonomic Principles: Specifies user-centered HMI for all keyless ignition operations, including starting/stopping engines, emergency procedures, and battery-low scenarios.

• Alert Systems: Covers driver notifications for non-standard events—like attempting to start without a key or leaving the ignition on while exiting.

• Device Interactions: Details requirements for pushbuttons, rocker switches, and rotary controls—ensuring that drivers and operators intuitively understand and confidently use keyless ignition features.

Business Implications:

• Who Must Comply: Car makers, commercial vehicle manufacturers (including buses and heavy trucks), automotive HMI designers, and system integrators.

• Practical Use: Reduces driver confusion, improves safety during emergencies or low-battery situations, and ensures keyless systems meet regulatory and user expectations.

• Notable Features:

  • Guidelines for avoiding accidental operation (starting or stopping)

  • Behavioral design for emergency starting/stopping

  • System design for automatic start/stop equipped vehicles and special-use cases

Key highlights:

• Improves driver and passenger safety by reducing misuse

• Boosts customer trust by offering consistent, predictable system behavior

• Facilitates industry compliance with increasing regulatory focus on HMI

Access the full standard: View ISO 21956:2019 on iTeh Standards

ISO/PAS 8926:2024 – Functional Safety for Pre-Existing Software in Automotive Systems

Road vehicles — Functional safety — Use of pre-existing software architectural elements

Software is the backbone of safe, reliable automotive operation—but carmakers often use pre-existing software elements that weren’t originally developed according to automotive functional safety standards. ISO/PAS 8926:2024 provides a clear, structured framework for integrating such software into safety-related embedded systems compliant with ISO 26262:2018.

Scope and Key Requirements:

• Risk and Suitability Analysis: Outlines criteria for evaluating commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) or custom software that wasn’t built for automotive safety standards but is now intended for integration in critical car systems.

• Classification System: Introduces a taxonomy for software trustworthiness based on provenance (software origin and process) and complexity.

• Evidence and Documentation: Specifies methods to provide confidence—through argumentation, evidence, and external safety mechanisms—for using such software safely.

Business Implications:

• Who Must Comply: Automotive OEMs, Tier 1 electronic suppliers, organizations integrating third-party or legacy software into road vehicle systems.

• Practical Use: Lets businesses leverage existing investment in software, facilitates scaling, and speeds time-to-market, while still fulfilling functional safety obligations.

• Notable Features:

  • Stepwise guidance for identifying, evaluating, and integrating pre-existing software

  • Processes for managing external failures, limitations, and documentation gaps

  • Support for the full lifecycle of embedded automotive software, from development to verification

Key highlights:

• Enables reuse of proven software, reducing development cost and schedule

• Ensures functional safety even when embedding non-automotive or legacy code

• Supports business scaling by unlocking a broader range of software options

Access the full standard: View ISO/PAS 8926:2024 on iTeh Standards

Industry Impact & Compliance

The automotive electronics and informatics ecosystem must adhere to complex—and ever-tightening—compliance requirements. These four standards are central to:

• Certification processes for new vehicles and electronic systems

• Demonstrating due diligence in international markets

• Passing regulatory audits and customer acceptance testing

Benefits of implementation:

• Increased Productivity: Standardized frameworks streamline development, reduce rework, and enhance cross-team communication and interoperability.

• Enhanced Security: Mandated procedures and test plans help organizations identify and mitigate vulnerabilities early—protecting both data integrity and passenger safety.

• Scalability: Modular, upgradable vehicle electronics architectures benefit greatly from standards-based integration—allowing OEMs and suppliers to scale their offerings or update vehicles without costly redesigns.

Risks of non-compliance:

• Product recalls, regulatory penalties, and loss of market access

• Increased risk of field failures or cyber attacks

• Damaged reputation and lost consumer trust

Implementation Guidance

Organizations seeking compliance and maximum benefit from these standards should:

1. Embed Standards Early: Integrate requirements into all stages of product design and development—right from concept to production.

2. Team Training: Invest in regular training to ensure that design, test, and integration teams understand standards’ requirements and industry best practices.

3. Adopt Model-Based Processes: Leverage standardized protocols, conformance test tools, and lifecycle management systems compatible with the referenced ISO series.

4. Document Everything: Maintain thorough records of decisions, configurations, validation results, and compliance testing.

5. Continuous Improvement: Use audit findings and field data to refine processes and address future revisions of standards.

6. Engage with Certification Bodies: Collaborate with accredited test laboratories or industry consortia for third-party verification when necessary, especially for functional safety and system interoperability.

Resources:

• Full-text ISO standards via iTeh Standards for up-to-date access and implementation details

• Reference software frameworks (e.g., AUTOSAR, SOME/IP)

• Industry guidance documents and working group materials

Conclusion / Next Steps

The adoption and implementation of international standards like ISO 17215-2:2014, ISO 21806-5:2020, ISO 21956:2019, and ISO/PAS 8926:2024 are now central to competitive advantage in the automotive sector. These standards unlock greater productivity, enable product scaling, improve driver and passenger safety, and ensure compliance as regulations evolve.

Organizations are encouraged to:

• Review their current and planned vehicle informatics architectures

• Benchmark against the cited standards for gaps and improvement areas

• Engage with cross-functional teams—from software engineers to compliance managers—to ensure all requirements are met

Stay ahead by exploring the full spectrum of automotive, car informatics, and on-board computer system standards available at iTeh Standards. Proactive adoption positions your business for new innovations, secure systems, and trusted products in a rapidly evolving transportation landscape.