HEADLINE: Triple hit on industry from embedded bug
From the Electronics Times, October 6, 1997
by Bronagh Miskelly
The millennium bug in embedded systems could hit the electronics industry with a triple whammy.
Electronics manufacturers could be hit by microcontroller failures, embedded systems suppliers could be flooded by customer requests for compliance information, and another skills crisis is on the way, warn experts.
Robin Guenier, executive director of Taskforce 2000, set up to raise awareness of the problem, said: "Embedded microprocessors are now the most important problem because in a factory there are many, many embedded systems controlling all sorts of things - a North Sea oil platform has 10000."
He says the manufacturing industry is only now beginning to realise the scale of the problem.
Having even your most vital systems checked could prove difficult according to Keith Ireland, business director of Millennium UK, a consultancy that offers testing strategies.
"You need precise skills to address this problem and they are different from IT skills," he said. "The person that maintains these systems on a day-to-day basis is unlikely to have them. You need access to real hardware people who can run round the factory actually testing equipment."
But the electronics skills shortage could cause problems, he said: "When organisations need to find these skills, they will find they are in short supply. You may only need them for a few days, but some manufacturers may not be able to find them at all."
The third issue for electronics companies is the preparation for demands of assurances about system compliance from customers. The Institution of Electrical Engineers has produced a guide which recommends that companies trace equipment back to the manufacturer for compliance information.
Margaret Beckett, president of the Board of Trade, has launched Action 2000, an initiative to address the date change problem. She says the awareness stage is over and that it is time for action. The government is putting up pounds 1m to offer best practice advice and tackle skills shortages.
Despite the fact that Taskforce 2000 is losing its government support, Guenier welcomed the news: "I am encouraged that the government is doing some of the things we have been asking for."
Sorry -- I don't have a link since I didn't get this over the Internet. |
