Overview
ISO 19725:2026 - Road vehicles - Steer-by-wire systems - System safety guidelines provides essential safety requirements for the implementation of steer-by-wire (SbW) systems in passenger cars and light commercial vehicles intended for series production. This international standard, developed by ISO, sets out a framework to help vehicle manufacturers and system suppliers manage the unique safety challenges associated with SbW technology. While it outlines necessary, but not sufficient, requirements, ISO 19725:2026 is designed to complement - not replace - the ISO 26262 series of functional safety standards. The document addresses manual driving modes where the driver retains physical control via the steering wheel and does not cover automated lateral vehicle control or hands-free misuse.
Key Topics
Applications
ISO 19725:2026 is invaluable for the design, validation, and safety assurance of steer-by-wire systems in modern vehicles. Its practical applications include:
- Vehicle Design and Engineering: Provides guidelines for integrating SbW systems while ensuring maintainable safety across all operational modes.
- System Supplier Development: Helps component suppliers to align their products with international safety expectations and OEM requirements.
- Product Verification and Testing: Supports OEMs and testing organizations in validating the controllability, feedback, and reliability of SbW-equipped vehicles.
- Regulatory Compliance: Assists manufacturers in demonstrating due diligence regarding system safety, especially in alignment with ISO 26262 functional safety processes.
- Risk Assessment: Encourages comprehensive hazard analysis and risk assessment for all SbW failure modes, including electrical and mechanical faults.
Related Standards
To ensure complete coverage of functional safety for road vehicles, ISO 19725:2026 should be used in conjunction with other core automotive standards, including:
- ISO 26262 series: Road vehicles - Functional safety (essential for full safety lifecycle management)
- ISO 15037-1: Road vehicles - Vehicle dynamics test methods - Part 1: General conditions for passenger cars
- UN Regulation No. 79: Provisions concerning steering equipment
By following ISO 19725:2026 along with these related standards, manufacturers and suppliers can achieve robust, internationally recognized safety levels for steer-by-wire systems, supporting market trust and regulatory approval for next-generation vehicle steering technologies.
