RISC-V architecture provides unique capabilities that support the development and compliance of safety critical applications. Embedded software development teams working on functionally safe systems can leverage these features to meet standards such as DO-178C and ISO 26262 while reducing their certification burden. While aligning RISC-V’s key attributes—modularity, simplicity, and extensibility—with industry standards presents challenges, this article outlines different approaches embedded developers can use to streamline certification for safety-critical systems.

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ISA

Unlike proprietary processor architectures, such as Arm, RISC-V uses an open instruction set architecture (ISA) developed by the University of California, Berkeley. This architecture follows reduced instruction set computing (RISC) principles, emphasizing performance and modularity in processor design and thus offering distinct advantages in the certification process. The open-standard approach eliminates the compatibility requirements that typically increase certification complexity and vendor lock-in. ISA is structured as a small base integer set, enabling developers to incorporate only the essential features

and minimize unnecessary system complexity. Additionally, RISC-V’s royalty-free licensing model eliminates cost barriers when customizing implementations, and its absence of proprietary IP reduces potential design liability concerns.

LDRA tool suite integration with Microchip’s PolarFire SoC

CLEAN SEPARATION BETWEEN HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE

Functional safety standards such as ISO 26262 require the documentation of hardware-software interfaces. RISC-V’s architectural approach facilitates compliance by clearly defining core ISA functionality and optional extensions. With this modular intent, development teams can document safety-related custom extensions while maintaining standard interface specifications for the base architecture, which simplifies requirement traceability and verification processes.

PRE-VERIFIED COMPONENTS

Safety-critical system developers are adopting RISC-V.

DEVELOPMENT ECOSYSTEM MATURITY

Several development tools and verification environments support RISC-V-based certification activities throughout the development cycle. Advanced toolsets, such as LDRA’s target license packagefor RISC-V architectures, support requirement traceability, WCET measurements for AMC 20-193 compliance, multicore code coverage analysis on the development host and target, and integration with major RISC-V development platforms. Additionally, LDRA is highly integrated with RISC-V environments, supporting dynamic testing with silicon-level simulation and real hardware. Industry solutions like these enhance the qualification process by providing high-assurance workflows that streamline verification and documentation requirements.

REDUCED VENDOR LOCK-IN

RISC-V’s open architecture model reduces supply chain dependence by enabling diverse sourcing strategies. Engineering teams can implement equivalent processor configurations from multiple vendors, enhancing both supply chain resilience and safety case documentation. This architectural flexibility proves valuable in aerospace and automotive applications with extended lifecycles, especially when maintaining documentation for continued airworthiness or automotive safety integrity level compliance. The ability to transition between suppliers without architectural modifications simplifies recertification procedures when addressing component obsolescence.

CONSIDER RISC-V A VIABLE OPTION

The combination of RISC-V’s architectural advantages, maturing tool support, and availability of pre-certified components creates compelling opportunities for safety-critical system development. Through careful consideration of certification requirements during implementation, development teams can leverage RISC-V’s features to optimize the certification process while maintaining robust system safety and reliability standards.