Automotive SPICE answers the question every vehicle manufacturer asks: is your software development process mature and repeatable?
A modern car is, to a large extent, software — from driver-assistance systems to powertrain control. Vehicle manufacturers (OEMs) cannot rely solely on testing the finished product; they need confidence that the supplier works in an orderly, repeatable and controlled way. This is exactly what Automotive SPICE (A-SPICE) is for — an industry model for assessing the maturity of software and systems development processes in the automotive sector.
What is Automotive SPICE (A-SPICE)?
Automotive SPICE is the automotive adaptation of the international process assessment standard ISO/IEC 330xx (formerly ISO/IEC 15504). The standard is developed and maintained by VDA (Verband der Automobilindustrie — the German Association of the Automotive Industry) and has become a de facto requirement in the industry’s supply chain.
A-SPICE does not assess the product itself — it assesses the process by which the product is created. It answers the question: does the organization have defined, managed and continuously improved engineering processes, or does it work in an ad-hoc way dependent on individuals?
The structure of A-SPICE: processes and capability levels
The model consists of two dimensions:
The process dimension — a set of processes grouped into categories, including:
- the SYS group (System Engineering) — system requirements, architecture, integration and system testing,
- the SWE group (Software Engineering) — software requirements, design, implementation, integration and testing,
- supporting and management processes — project, quality, configuration, change and supplier management.
The key engineering processes form the so-called V-model, in which each level of specification corresponds to a level of verification.
The capability dimension — six maturity levels for each process:
- Level 0 — incomplete (the process is not carried out or does not achieve its purpose),
- Level 1 — performed (the process achieves its purpose),
- Level 2 — managed (the process is planned, monitored and adjusted),
- Level 3 — established (the process is based on an organizational standard),
- Level 4 — predictable (the process is measured quantitatively),
- Level 5 — optimizing (the process is continuously improved).
In practice, manufacturers most often require suppliers to reach level 2 or 3 for key processes.
How does an A-SPICE assessment work?
The assessment is carried out by a qualified assessor following a defined methodology. The assessor collects evidence (documentation, artifacts, interviews), compares the organization’s practices against the model’s requirements and rates each process attribute on a scale (N — not achieved, P — partially, L — largely, F — fully). The result shows the actual capability level of the processes and points to areas for improvement.
A-SPICE vs ISO 26262 — two complementary standards
This is a common source of confusion. Put simply:
- A-SPICE is about how we work — whether the development process is mature and repeatable.
- ISO 26262 is about whether the product is safe — it concerns the functional safety of electronic systems in vehicles (ASIL levels).
The two standards are complementary and, in automotive projects, are usually implemented together: a mature process (A-SPICE) is the foundation on which the safety argument (ISO 26262) is built.
Who is A-SPICE key for?
Above all, for automotive suppliers (Tier 1 and Tier 2) developing software and embedded systems, from whom OEMs require a defined level of process assessment. In practice it concerns systems and software engineers, project managers, assessors and quality teams.
How to get started with A-SPICE?
The best first step is to understand the model’s structure, the capability levels and the logic of assessment — before the organization approaches a formal assessment. You will find a practical introduction to the standard, its structure and the process assessment methodology in the EITT training: Introduction to Automotive SPICE (A-SPICE). If you also work on functional safety, it is worth combining this knowledge with ISO 26262 training.