Just about every major appliance today incorporates a "black box" packed with chips and microcontrollers. These boxes need to be tested for long life and robustness like the white goods they support, as service engineers are unlikely to be able to carry out repairs on site - unlike repairable electro-mechanical systems. And software is notoriously bug prone, as we all know from our PCs. The testing regime for black boxes is an integral part of the total appliance lifecycle test. Some electronic standards overlap and some are unique to the micro and software-based systems. "The safety and Low Voltage Directives have been around for years, but we now have to take into account more electronics and software controls," says Stuart MacConnacher of the Association of Manufacturer of Domestic Appliances (AMDEA). "Whereas a physical switch could simply be turned off if things went wrong, today you have to ensure an off-mode can't accidentally be put into an on-mode."
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