EN 50716 Software Safety Standards for the Railway Industry
EN 50716:2023 is the latest European standard for the development and verification of railway software. It governs software used in railway control, signalling, and on-board systems, and defines the processes, lifecycle requirements, and safety assurance activities required across all Software Safety Integrity Levels (SW-SIL 0–4).
This standard supersedes EN 50128 and EN 50657, combining them into a single, modern framework that applies to both infrastructure and rolling stock.
QA Systems helps organisations accelerate compliance with EN 50716 through certified tools for static analysis, unit testing, and integration testing. Our tools Cantata and QA-MISRA, support the full verification lifecycle, from software design and implementation to deployment and maintenance.
Tool Qualification under EN 50716
Section 6.7 – Confidence in the Use of Support Tools defines how software development tools must be classified (T1, T2, or T3) and qualified.
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Cantata and QA-MISRA are independently certified by SGS-TÜV Saar GmbH as class T2 tools, suitable for safety-related development up to SW-SIL 4.
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Free tool certification kits are available to simplify qualification, providing pre-built documentation and test evidence
This streamlines acceptance by assessors and reduces the time needed for tool qualification in EN 50716 projects.
By adhering to EN 50716, the railway industry strengthens its commitment to software safety, reliability, and compliance.
This unified standard enhances the safety, performance, and integrity of critical systems used in railway control, signalling, protection, and rolling stock applications.
Software Testing Tools for Compliance with EN 50716
QA Systems helps organizations to accelerate compliance with EN 50716 through automated static analysis, unit testing, source code analysis, and other comprehensive testing methods.
STATIC ANALYSIS
Static Analysis with QA-MISRA
QA-MISRA enforces mandatory coding standards such as MISRA C/C++, CERT C/C++, and CWE, ensuring software quality and security from the earliest stages:
It aligns with Annexes A and D of EN 50716, delivering traceable, auditable results that integrate into your compliance workflows.
See our QA-MISRA Safety Manual for SIL recommendations.
Start a free trial of QA-MISRA to evaluate your code against MISRA, AUTOSAR, CERT, and CWE.
Unit & Integration Testing with Cantata
Cantata automates verification activities required by EN 50716, including:
It supports both host-native and embedded targets for C/C++ codebases, and is especially effective for white-box testing in high-SIL railway projects.
✔ Certified for use up to SW-SIL 4
✔ T2 tool classification under EN 50716
✔ Supports the V-model lifecycle
See our White Paper Cantata Standard Briefing EN 50716
Start a free trial of Cantata with your own code.
Tool Certification & Qualification under EN 50716
EN 50716 (Section 6.7 – Confidence in the Use of Support Tools) requires that all support tools used in the development of railway software be classified and qualified according to their impact on safety. QA Systems offers fully certified tools that meet these requirements.
Cantata has been independently certified by SGS-TÜV Saar GmbH, an accredited functional safety certification body, as a class T2 tool under EN 50716. This classification confirms its suitability for use in the development of safety-related software up to SW-SIL 4.
For QA-MISRA, our static analysis tool, we provide a comprehensive Qualification Support Kit (QSK). This kit performs automated verification on the installed tool configuration and generates the required reports for EN 50716 tool qualification.
To support your path to compliance, QA Systems offers free certification kits for both Cantata and QA-MISRA. These include:
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Tool classification and qualification documentation
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Pre-written verification plans and reports
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Detailed guidance for using the tools within EN 50716-compliant verification workflows
These kits ensure you can confidently demonstrate compliance with EN 50716’s tool qualification requirements and streamline your software verification process.
For access to these kits or further details, please reach out to us.
Cantata Certificate
QA-MISRA Certificate
