Keel Stone Systems

Safety and security, engineered in from the first requirement.

We help automotive and industrial hardware teams meet ISO 26262, ISO/SAE 21434 and IEC 61508, and we give early-stage hardware companies an experienced CTO without a full-time hire.

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The safety lifecycle V-model Requirements and design descend the left side of the V, verification and validation rise up the right, and implementation sits at the base as the keystone. Each design stage is paired with the test stage that verifies it. Item definition, HARA Safety goals, FSC Technical safety concept HW / SW design Safety validation Vehicle integration System integration Unit verification specify and design verify and validate Implementation

Who we work with

Teams for whom a missed work product means a failed audit, a delayed SOP or a lost customer.

Hardware startups building their first ECU or controller
You have a working prototype and an OEM asking about ASIL. We set up the safety and cybersecurity process at the size your team actually is, and stay on as your technical lead until you hire one.
Tier-1 and Tier-2 suppliers facing an audit
We run a gap assessment against ISO 26262 or ISO/SAE 21434, close the missing work products with your engineers, and prepare you for the assessor’s questions.
Industrial and off-highway OEMs moving into safety-rated markets
We translate IEC 61508 and its sector standards into an engineering process your existing teams can run without stopping delivery.

Standards we work to

  • ISO 26262Road vehicles functional safety
  • ISO/SAE 21434Road vehicles cybersecurity engineering
  • UNECE R155 / R156Cybersecurity and software update management
  • ISO 21448Safety of the intended functionality
  • IEC 61508Functional safety of E/E/PE systems
  • Automotive SPICEProcess capability assessment

How an engagement runs

  1. Scoping call

    One hour on your product, your customer’s requirements and your deadline. You get a written summary either way.

  2. Gap assessment

    We review your existing process and work products against the standard and rank the gaps by audit risk.

  3. Close the gaps

    We work alongside your engineers on the analyses, concepts and safety case, so the knowledge stays in your team.

  4. Audit readiness

    A mock assessment, a final evidence review and support through the real one.

From the founder

Across three decades in technology, from enterprise platforms to embedded and automotive systems, I’ve seen that safety and security are cheapest when they’re designed in, and most expensive when they’re bolted on a month before SOP. Keel Stone exists to make the first path the normal one.

Dinesh Narayana, founder

Read more about Dinesh

Tell us what you’re building and which standard is on your desk.

We’ll reply within two working days with whether we can help and what a first step would look like.

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