Olga Polishchuk

Scrum Master at Luxoft

This book is a practical and insightful guide for applying ASPICE in real-world projects. I found the best practices especially useful for SUP.8, where the example on backup responsibilities helped clarify a key issue in my organization. The book is easy to follow, filled with real-life scenarios, and supported by valuable resources like masterclasses and interview guides. A great companion for any software professional working with ASPICE.

Olena Lizina

Senior Project Manager / ASPICE Provisional Assessor at Luxoft DXC

This book is a real treasure for anyone implementing ASPICE. I only wish I had it sooner! When I was starting out - it would have saved me so much time and uncertainty. Even today, I keep coming back to it whenever I need to refresh my memory or gain clarity. What makes it truly special is that it's written for the people who build and improve processes, not just for assessors.

Wojciech Dziembala

Project Systems Lead / Product Owner / Automotive / SAFe Leadership / Customer Relations / Systems Engineer / Project Management / ASPICE at Aptiv

The Most Practical and Inspiring ASPICE Guide Available

This book is an absolute game-changer for anyone working with Automotive SPICE®. I've read other resources on ASPICE, but none of them manage to combine practical depth, expert authority, and clarity the way this one does. It really exceeded my expectations. What makes it stand out is how the author begins with the Core processes, which are mandatory for Level 2 and in practice the real foundation for starting and structuring any project. Too often these are treated as secondary, but here they are placed exactly where they belong - at the entry point to successful engineering.

I also really like the way processes are grouped and compared across domains. For example, showing SYS.2 alongside SWE.1 and HWE.1, or SYS.3 with SWE.2, HWE.2, and SWE.3, makes the V-model come alive not only for systems but also for software and hardware. This structured comparison helps to understand ASPICE as a coherent engineering model instead of isolated checklists.

On a personal note, if I had read this book earlier, before creating my own ASPICE Basics course, it would have made my work even better. I did use the Melster Academy as a source, but this book goes far beyond. It is a true collection of best practices (not just base practices), guiding the reader on how to build processes that make achieving Level 2 or higher much easier and more natural.

For me, this is the book I wish I had years ago. It combines clarity, structure, and practical insight in a way no other ASPICE resource does. Reading it feels like having an expert assessor sit beside you, guiding you through each step.

Katarzyna Czerwiec

Quality manager / IATF 16949 Auditor Ex-Aptiv

Ronald Melster’s The Ultimate Guide to Automotive SPICE® is a clear, practical, and experience-driven handbook for anyone working with ASPICE. Unlike many texts that focus on compliance, this book emphasizes real process improvement and engineering success. Drawing on decades of industry experience, the author explains not just what ASPICE requires, but why it matters and how to apply it effectively. Each chapter balances concepts with actionable best practices, making it useful for engineers, project managers, and quality professionals alike. What stands out is the author’s pragmatic approach: ASPICE is presented not as bureaucracy, but as a framework that helps teams work faster, with fewer mistakes, and greater predictability. In short, this is an excellent resource for organizations seeking both compliance and genuine improvement in their engineering practices. Highly recommended. 

1. Motivation (page 13)

• Why am I writing this book?

2. Introduction (page 17)

• Cybersecurity relevance criteria
• ASPICE Cybersecurity Extension v2.0

3. Overview of the standard (page 23)

• Cybersecurity engineering processes
• MAN.7 Cybersecurity risk management
• SEC.1 Cybersecurity requirements elicitation
• SEC.2 Cybersecurity implementation
• SEC.3 Risk treatment verification
• SEC.4 Risk treatment validation
• ACQ.2 Supplier request and selection
• ACQ.4 Supplier monitoring

4. Cybersecurity risk analysis (page 41)

• Item Definition as a Prerequisite
• Asset Identification
• Impact Assessment
• Threat Scenario Identification
• Attack Feasibility Assessment
• Risk Determination
• Cybersecurity Goal Derivation

5. Integration into Core ASPICE Processes (page 53)

• Integration with MAN.3 Project Management
• Interface to SUP.1 Quality Assurance
• Interface to SUP.8 Configuration Management
• Interface to SUP.9 Problem Resolution Management

6. Cybersecurity in Development Processes (page 65)

• Requirements Engineering (SEC.1 and SWE.1/HWE.1)
• Implementation and Architecture (SEC.2 and SWE.2/SWE.3)
• Verification (SEC.3 and SWE.6/SYS.5)
• Validation (SEC.4)
• Security-Specific Interface Management
• Test Data, Secrets, and Environment Control

7. Conclusion (page 83)

• Key Findings