Asil B-compliant implementation of automotive safety-related functions by means of a high diagnosability, quality managed-compliant integrated circuit

An automotive internal combustion engine electronic control unit required to perform safety-related functions with a predetermined automotive safety integrity level; wherein the automotive internal combustion engine electronic control unit comprises a microcontroller and an integrated circuit distinct from, and communicating with the microcontroller; in which the microcontroller is designed to perform one or more safety-related functions with the same automotive safety integrity level as the one required to the automotive engine electronic control unit; in which the integrated circuit is designed to perform one or more safety-related functions with an automotive safety integrity level lower than the one of the microcontroller; in which the integrated circuit is further designed to perform, for each performed safety-related function, a corresponding diagnosis function designed to detect failures in the performance of the safety-related function; and in which the microcontroller is designed to perform, for each performed diagnosis function, a corresponding monitoring function designed to monitor the performance of the corresponding diagnosis function by the integrated circuit to detect failures that may compromise the diagnostic capability of the diagnosis function.