Certifications cover industrial functional safety and cybersecurity

Company eyes expanded memory chip supply for autonomous driving, SDV markets

SK hynix's IEC 61508 product and process certification. [SK hynix]
SK hynix's IEC 61508 product and process certification. [SK hynix]

SK hynix has obtained international certifications in industrial functional safety and cybersecurity for its latest low-power mobile DRAM, the LPDDR5X.

The certifications are expected to strengthen the company's position as a trusted memory chip supplier in the autonomous driving and software-defined vehicle (SDV) markets and give it added momentum in its push into the physical AI sector.

According to SK hynix on Wednesday, the newly acquired certifications are SIL 3 under the industrial functional safety standard IEC 61508 and a cybersecurity management system (CSMS) based on the automotive cybersecurity standard ISO/SAE 21434. Both were assessed by global certification body SGS-TÜV Saar.

SK hynix had earlier obtained ISO 26262 ASIL-D automotive functional safety certification and TISAX, the global automotive industry information security certification, further building out its lineup of international safety and security credentials required by the automotive and physical AI markets.

The SIL 3 rating under IEC 61508 is the highest level a single memory semiconductor can achieve. Safety integrity levels are graded from SIL 1 to SIL 4, with higher numbers indicating stricter requirements.

The LPDDR5X is designed to support "continuous mode" — maintaining a safe state in real time without system shutdown — giving it the foundation for applications such as real-time robot control.

Because vehicles and robots operate on similar principles, the functional safety capabilities built up in the automotive sector serve as a springboard for advancing into robotics.

With these certifications, SK hynix said it is now positioned to extend its functional safety capabilities beyond automotive into robotics, smart factories and industry at large.

SK hynix's ISO/SAE 21434 cybersecurity process certification. [SK hynix]
SK hynix's ISO/SAE 21434 cybersecurity process certification. [SK hynix]

ISO/SAE 21434 is a cybersecurity standard for defending against malicious attacks. The UN Economic Commission for Europe has made CSMS implementation a mandatory requirement for vehicle type approval.

In the CSMS assessment, SK hynix confirmed that its processes across product development and mass production — covering threat response procedures, security requirements, design and verification, and vulnerability management — meet international standards.

The certification enables SK hynix to supply automotive memory chips to mobility customers that require a CSMS framework.

Building on this, the company plans to expand its participation in autonomous driving platform and SDV projects and grow its global Tier 1 customer base within the automotive industry ecosystem.

SK hynix also intends to broaden its reach in the industrial sector — into robotics, edge AI and smart factories — reinforcing its functional safety and security capabilities across both automotive and industrial applications and providing trusted memory solutions at the AI system level.

Kim Jong-hwan, executive vice president and head of DRAM development, said safety and security frameworks that meet international standards are becoming increasingly important in the memory chip development process as the physical AI market matures. "We will solidify our full-stack AI memory leadership at the AI system level in the physical AI market, backed by our proven safety and security capabilities across automotive and industrial sectors," Kim said.


joze@heraldcorp.com