We are thrilled to announce that RoboSafety, our innovative software startup, has been prominently featured in the January publication of Automotive News Canada. This feature delves into the significance of Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) tools and the pioneering efforts of our founders, Mary Yazdani and Donia Chaouch.
You can Access to subscription based January publication here in this link.
The Article in Brief:
In a time where the automotive industry is swiftly transitioning to zero-emission and self-driving vehicles, Ottawa-based software startup RoboSafety Inc. is on a mission to revolutionize safety engineering. The co-founder and CEO, Mary Yazdani, along with Chief Technology Officer Donia Chaouch, are developing a new generation of safety analysis tools that could significantly reduce costly recalls in the face of increasingly complex systems.
The automotive industry, like many others, has been relying on risk-assessment methods that date back 30 to 40 years. Mary Yazdani emphasizes the urgent need for change, stating, “Systems are becoming more complex. We are modernizing this too!” The startup is addressing this gap by testing innovative safety analysis tools designed to keep pace with the evolving technical landscape.
At the core of RoboSafety’s initiative is the modernization of the Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) method, a widely-used risk-assessment technique employed by safety engineers. The challenge lies in the fact that engineers today, dealing with far more intricate systems, are still using FTA tools designed decades ago.
RoboSafety’s tool, aptly named “Pathfinder,” is a game-changer. Unlike traditional approaches where safety analysis is conducted at the end of a product’s development, Pathfinder allows designers and team members to integrate safety considerations throughout the development process. The goal is to establish a culture of safety within organizations, making it a collective responsibility rather than a task reserved for safety engineers at the project’s conclusion.
One of the potential benefits of this innovative approach is a significant reduction in recalls. Costly recalls, such as the 2021 Hyundai incident where over 80,000 electric cars were recalled globally, can impact consumer attitudes and dealership satisfaction. RoboSafety aims to remedy this by embedding safety requirements within the initial design phase, preventing safety from being an afterthought.
RoboSafety is currently beta testing its Pathfinder tool, collaborating with smaller robotics companies for initial trials. The next phase involves engaging with Tier 1 companies and automakers to further integrate this groundbreaking safety approach into mainstream automotive practices.
The endeavor has not gone unnoticed. RoboSafety has received support from Invest Ottawa’s IO Flex program, offering invaluable access to advisers, market insights, cost-saving perks, and a network of peers. Additionally, the National Research Council of Canada’s Industrial Research Assistance Program has granted RoboSafety a $75,000 fund to further its research and development efforts.
As the automotive industry faces unprecedented challenges, RoboSafety emerges as a beacon of change, ushering in a new era of safety engineering focused on prevention rather than reaction.
