Technical documentation in the automotive sector is subject to a variety of industry-specific standards and regulations. These guidelines are essential to ensure the safety, quality, and compliance of automotive documentation. Here are some of the key industry-specific standards and regulations governing technical documentation in the automotive sector:

ISO 26262 – Functional Safety for Road Vehicles

ISO 26262 is an international standard that focuses on the functional safety of electrical and electronic systems in road vehicles. It sets forth requirements for the development of safety-critical automotive systems, including the documentation necessary to demonstrate compliance with safety goals. This standard is crucial for ensuring the safety of automotive products.

SAE J2450 – Engineering Methods for Writing Repair Orders

The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) publishes various standards related to automotive documentation. SAE J2450 provides guidelines for writing repair orders and service documentation. It helps automotive service personnel effectively communicate repair and maintenance procedures, contributing to the reliability of repair processes.

ASD S1000D – International Specification for Technical Publications

While originally developed for the aerospace industry, ASD S1000D is increasingly being adopted in the automotive sector. It is an international specification for technical publications and defines the structure and format for technical documentation. ASD S1000D facilitates the exchange of technical information between manufacturers and customers, promoting consistency and efficiency in content development.

Example:

Here’s an example of how compliance with industry-specific standards can be documented using DITA:

<topic id="iso26262_compliance">
  <title>ISO 26262 Compliance</title>
  <content>
    <p>This document outlines how our automotive system, XYZ Drive Assist, complies with ISO 26262 functional safety requirements.</p>
    <section id="safety_goals">
      <title>Safety Goals</title>
      <content>...
    </section>
    <section id="verification">
      <title>Verification</title>
      <content>...
    </section>
    <section id="validation">
      <title>Validation</title>
      <content>...
    </section>
  </content>
  <references>
    <standard>ISO 26262:2018</standard>
  </references>

In this example, a DITA topic titled “ISO 26262 Compliance” is used to document how a specific automotive system complies with ISO 26262 requirements. It includes sections for safety goals, verification, and validation, providing a structured approach to compliance documentation.