Overview
ISO 11748-1:2001 provides guidance on the content and structure of technical documentation for on-board electrical and electronic control systems used in road vehicles. It supplies a comprehensive checklist of technical data elements that project partners should consider when creating and exchanging documentation. The standard defines what types of information may be relevant (but not which are mandatory) - those decisions are made in the project-specific documentation agreement described in ISO 11748-2.
Key topics
The standard lists topical areas and data elements to include in exchanged documents. Major topics include:
- General information: document identification, versioning, outline, partners, production and management metadata, glossary.
- System overview: system description, targeted vehicle types and functional scope.
- Performance and behaviour: operating modes, states and transitions, functions, environmental conditions.
- Human–machine interface (HMI): user controls and displays overview.
- Architecture and electrical characteristics: block diagrams, interfaces, signal and connection specifications, power supply, EMC and electrical immunity.
- Network communication: topology, protocols, messages and signal definitions.
- Software: data dictionary, software function specifications, calibration parameter contents.
- Hazard analysis: reliability, safety (e.g., FMEA-style aspects), availability and failure management concepts.
- Physical and mechanical characteristics: mechanical, climatic, chemical, optical, magnetic and acoustical attributes; housing, mounting, labeling, recycling.
- Manufacturing & aftermarket: assembly-line and service information.
Applications and who uses it
ISO 11748-1 is practical for:
- Automotive OEMs and Tier 1/2 suppliers creating or receiving ECU documentation.
- Systems engineers and ECU software developers specifying interfaces, data dictionaries and calibration parameters.
- Project managers and contract authors who need to define the documentation agreement (see ISO 11748-2).
- Document managers and data administrators implementing data management and version control.
- Safety and reliability engineers using the checklist to ensure relevant hazard and failure-management information is captured.
Typical uses:
- Creating standardised specification packages for ECU projects.
- Establishing minimum content for exchanged deliverables to improve interoperability.
- Supporting contractual documentation agreements and data management workflows.
- Facilitating regulatory, manufacturing and aftermarket traceability.
Related standards
Keywords: ISO 11748-1, technical documentation, electrical and electronic systems, on-board electronic control systems, ECU, data dictionary, documentation agreement, road vehicles, calibration parameters, network communication.