From Requirements to Certification: A Framework for Compliant Software Update Management System Implementation in the Automotive Industry

Software Updates are of growing importance for automotive manufacturers.The need to provide software updates is driven not only by innovative functional enhancements,post-delivery maintenance or performance improvements,but also by regulatory requirements.Since the entry into force of UNECE R156,the ability to perform software updates and to demonstrate a functioning Software Update Management System (SUMS) has become mandatory for OEMs in UNECE member countries. While the automotive industry is characterized by numerous standards,standardized methods,and established process models,there is currently no standardized procedure for the manufacturer-specific implementation of a compliant SUMS.The paper addresses this gap by proposing a structured model that enables the derivation of processes and compliance evidence needed for SUMS certification.Such a model is essential not only to support the consistent and compliant implementation of SUMS but also to ensure that compliance can be demonstrably and uniformly verified by regulatory authorities. To achieve this,we systematically analyze UNECE R156 and ISO 24089,extract the relevant requirements,and map them into Software Update Engineering processes.These processes are categorized into management focus areas and domains to allocate them to the appropriate organizational units.To enhance feasibility,we refine them into concrete activities and arrange them sequentially in alignment with the automotive V-model.The proposed approach provides,for the first time,a structured and verifiable way to implement SUMS and document compliance,thereby supporting OEMs in preparing for conformity assessments.