Establish Traceability Links
Create and manage bidirectional traceability relationships between work items across all levels of the V-model.
Whole RTM Sheet
Visualize and manage complete requirements traceability matrix across all four decomposition levels.
Component RTM Sheet
Drill down into component-level requirements and their design implementations and verification coverage.
Check Coverage
Verify traceability completeness and identify gaps in the V-model chain.
Fix Gaps
Address missing traceability links and ensure complete bidirectional coverage.
Generate Reports
Export comprehensive traceability reports for compliance documentation and audits.
Why Traceability Matters
Traceability is a critical requirement for automotive functional safety standards:- ISO 26262 Part 8, Clause 6 requires bidirectional traceability from concept phase (hazards and safety goals) through all design phases to verification and validation
- AIAG-VDA FMEA methodology links failure modes to design characteristics and control plans
- IATF 16949 / APQP requires traceability from customer requirements through process controls to product verification
- Compliance audits rely on traceability matrices to demonstrate complete coverage
Traceability Model in TestAuto2
- Upstream links — trace requirements back to their sources (customer needs, hazards, safety goals)
- Downstream links — trace requirements forward to implementation (design, characteristics, failure modes)
- Verification links — link requirements to test cases that verify they are met
- Validation links — link top-level requirements to system-level validation tests
Key Concepts
Common Tasks
- Establish Traceability Links — Create refines, verified-by, validates, assesses, and mitigates link relationships
- Use Whole RTM Sheet — Navigate the complete four-level requirements decomposition
- Use Component RTM Sheet — Drill down to component-level design traceability
- Check Traceability Coverage — Run coverage analysis to identify incomplete chains
- Fix Traceability Gaps — Add missing links to achieve full coverage
- Generate Traceability Report — Export ISO 26262-compliant traceability matrices
Related Documentation
- Concepts: Traceability Model — Detailed explanation of link roles, cardinality constraints, and V-model decomposition
- Guides: Requirements Management — Creating and refining requirements at each level
- Guides: Verification and Validation — Linking test cases to requirements
- Reference: Requirements Traceability Report — Report format and interpretation