To ensure compliance of MCPs in Avionics, EASA® and the FAA™ have been developed guidelines for development and most importantly verification of multi-core systems in DO-178C projects. The current guideline by EASA is Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC 20-193), and upcoming/equivalent by FAA Advisory Circulars (AC 20-193). These equivalent documents provide guidance for compliance with airworthiness regulations without creating or changing existing regulatory requirements. The AMC 20-193 and AC 20-193 is a product of collaborative effort by EASA and FAA based from the position paper “CAST-32A: Multi-core Processors”.
The AC/AMC 20-193 describes an acceptable means for demonstrating compliance with the applicable airworthiness regulations for aspects related to multi-core processors contained in airborne systems and equipment used in TC/STC certification or ETSO/TSO authorization. Multicore processors are increasingly used within avionics systems, not only in applies to Civil Airborne systems, but also in applies MIL-Aero, eVTOL and UAM certification. AMC/AC 20-193 applies to systems and equipment that contain MCPs with two or more activated cores for which the item development assurance level (IDAL) of at least one of the software applications hosted by the MCP or of the hardware item containing the MCP is A, B, or C. consideration must be taken that the deactivation of cores is handled through the applicable Airborne Electronic Hardware (AEH) guidance DO-254/ED-80. However, the AC/AMC 20-193 does not apply when the software IDALs are all level D or E.
