Code and architecture documentation represent more than 20% of the total dev effort of a project adding up to remarkable amounts over the years.

The portion of code documentation reviews in automotive software development projects with ASIL D may vary depending on the size, complexity, and quality of the software. However, some sources suggest that code documentation reviews can mote than 20% of the total development effort for ASIL D software. This is because code documentation reviews for ASIL D software need to cover all aspects of the software design, implementation, and testing, and ensure that the software meets the safety requirements and the functional safety concept. Code documentation reviews for ASIL D software also need to be documented and traceable, and undergo a functional safety assessment by an independent party.

Therefore, code documentation reviews are a significant and essential part of automotive software development projects with ASIL D, and they require a high level of expertise, rigor, and automation.

The tasks covered in software architecture documentation for an automotive software ASIL D typically include:

Safety Concepts and Architectures: This involves the development of safety concepts and architectures for safety-related software. It includes the design of software systems to meet specific Automotive Safety Integrity Levels (ASILs), such as ASIL D1.

Software Safety Analyses: These are performed at the software architecture level. They involve analyzing the software system to identify potential safety risks and to ensure that the system meets the necessary safety requirements.

Tool Classification and Qualification: This involves the classification and qualification of software tools used in the development of embedded software. It ensures that the tools used in the development process are suitable and reliable.

Requirements Documentation and Traceability: The software architecture documentation should also include a clear documentation of the requirements and trace them to other artifacts — including tests, issues, and source code.

These tasks are crucial for ensuring that the software system meets the necessary safety requirements and contributes to the overall quality and reliability of the system. This article reflects my own personal view, not necessarily my employer's opinion.