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Hello!
I am Nico Litschke, and I am responsible for the safety of software-intensive systems.
From team lead to CTO, I hear the same questions in R&D again and again:
- Which design delivers the system's functions, features and safety at the same time?
- What can I do so that my developers and experts take ownership of their share of safety?
- How do I put our limited resources where they matter?
- How do I minimise technical, economic, environmental and liability risks?
- How do I back this up with safety evidence, and which safety standards apply?
- And lately: how can I use AI in system functions and in safety development?
Answering these questions is my daily work. As a System Safety Engineer I have written and owned functional and technical safety concepts from QM to ASIL D; those systems are on the road in millions of vehicles today. Among them electric drives, brakes and sensors replaced by AI models. Most recently the same approach proved itself in industrial robotics, on safe object detection up to PL e.
Services
Lifecycle
From the applicable standards I determine the relevant parts and assemble them into your individual safety lifecycle – including the question of which methods and test scopes each part of the system requires.
ResultA tailored safety lifecycle based on the relevant standards. A safety work breakdown structure and a safety plan that you only need to fold into your project planning.
Standards and planningISO 13849 • EU Machinery Regulation 2023/1230 • ISO 26262 • IEC 61508 • ISO 21448 (SOTIF) • ISO 6469 (HV safety) • ISO/PAS 8800 (AI safety) • INCOSE • SEBoK • Automotive SPICE • Technical and safety project management • Lifecycle Tailoring • Impact Analysis • (Safety) WBS • (Safety) project planning • Safety Plan • Release management
Engineering
From the hazard analysis through the safety goals to the functional and technical safety concept: which function has to stay safe under which conditions, and what hardware and software have to deliver for that.
ResultVerifiable requirements that your team can implement, integrate and test. A documented safety design for your further project planning and communication.
Artefacts and toolsMBSE • SysML/UML • ConOps/Item definition • Safety Requirements • FSC • TSC • Partitioning and decomposition • Modularisation • Selection of safety mechanisms • HSI • State Machines • AUTOSAR • QNX • RTOS • EGAS • IBM DNG / RTC / RQM • DOORS • Polarion • Codebeamer • PTC Integrity • Medini • Rhapsody • Enterprise Architect • UMLet • ASCET • Jira/Confluence • git • SVN • shell • Python • Cursor • Claude Code • Visual Studio
Safety case
I bring safety concept, implementation, integration, verification and safety assessment together into the safety case.
ResultA released safety case and a passed safety assessment. On top of that I assess the risk of a release and recommend for which use case you can release your system.
Analyses and evidenceHARA • FMEA • FMEDA • FTA • DFA • SOTIF analysis • Control and data flow analysis • Safety Case (GSN) • Safety Audit • Safety Assessment • Confirmation Measures • APIS IQ • Isograph Reliability Workbench
Experience
Safe object detection, industrial robotics
System Safety Engineer • PL e / SIL 3
Built a system and software architecture framework and MBSE. Piloted it on safe object detection for industrial robots, extended by hazard analyses. Successful TÜV audit of hazard analysis and safety concept.
Infotainment and driver assistance systems
Software Safety Engineer and Safety Coach • ASIL A to D
Designed the software safety architecture. Decomposition into safety on chip, operating system, hypervisor and peripherals. Safety key account to OEM and suppliers. Supported the engineering domains in applying safety methods. OEM acknowledges a “significant improvement of the safety concept”.
Electric axle and its subsystems
System Safety Engineer and Safety Manager • QM to ASIL D
Coordinated and accompanied the safety development for unintended acceleration, HV safety and thermal safety across the entire series development. Safety key account to the vehicle manufacturer. Sensors replaced by AI models. Several series releases with passed safety assessments and a released safety case.
Embedded software consulting
Employed consultant • most recently Vector Consulting Services
Regional and international projects piloting and introducing ISO 26262, Automotive SPICE, project management and quality assurance. Tailoring and application of processes and development tools. Biggest wins: Automotive SPICE Level 3 introduced, Project Management Office set up, safety dashboard introduced.
From apprentice to engineer
Project technician • second-chance education • degree
After my apprenticeship as an IT systems electronics technician I worked as a project technician and in IT. Completed secondary school qualification and engineering degree alongside work.
My full project history is available on request: info@nicolitschke.com
Education
DegreesSystem Engineering, University of the Bundeswehr Munich • Industrial Engineering (Wirtschaftsingenieur), TU Dresden • Organisational Consulting, TU Kaiserslautern
Further trainingCertified Software Architect (iSAQB) • iNTACS Provisional Assessor Automotive SPICE