TPS65381A-Q1: What SafeTI level is the device and in which ISO 26262 applications can it be used?

Hello,

Almost no IC can be ASIL-x by itself, ASIL is a system level certification.  ICs developed specifically for ISO 26262 or with functional safety features and functionality in mind come in a few different types.  

The first case is a device specifically with functional safety features to assist customers design into a functional safety system, and this IC has a full safety case analysis based on an assumed application where the IC was then assessed against the assumptions of that use case to see what ASIL ranking the IC would help support.   For a SafeTI device in that case you will see it called out on www.ti.com/safeti as SafeTI-26262 with a specific ASIL ranking (SEooC) http://www.ti.com/ww/en/functional_safety/safeti/SafeTI-26262.html .

The second case is a device specifically with functional safety features to assist customers design into a functional safety system, but it doesn't have a full safety case analysis based on an assumed application where the IC was then assessed against the assumptions of that use case to see what ASIL ranking the IC would help support.  These are SafeTI-QM devices http://www.ti.com/ww/en/functional_safety/safeti/SafeTI-Quality-Managed.html . 

In the case of the TPS65381A-Q1, it was developed in parallel to ISO 26262 target standards releases and does not have a specific SEooC safety case analysis so it is part of the SafeTI program as a SafeTI-QM device.  It has many features and functionalities to help customers use it in applications targeting certification to ISO 26262 and IEC 61508.  It has been used and certified in applications up to ASIL-D.  As part of the SafeTI design package for this device it provides all the documentation to allow you assess it's suitability to your specific application such as the Safety Manual and Safety Analysis Report (FMEDA with FIT models, Pin FMA, DFA, DFMEA).  Once you have checked the suitability of the device to your application needs the FMEDA allows customer tailoring to recalculate the metrics per ISO 26262 of the device exactly how you will be using it to confirm in detail the support to the target ASIL level.  As such the device is then supported into a ISO 26262 system through clause 13 of part 8, hardware qualification of Basic and Intermediate hardware components. 

With all ICs in an SEooC (Safety Element out of Context) whether a SafeTI-26262 ASIL-x or SafeTI-QM, the customer will always have to check that their specific use of the IC and the capability of the IC meet the requirements of the specific system it is being used in.