CQI-34 training is a hands-on programme built on the 1st edition of AIAG‘s CQI-34 “Software Assurance Approval Process (SwAAP)”, published in 2025. Modelled after PPAP, the manual provides a structured, industry-common process for approving automotive software.
Why is CQI-34 necessary?
On the hardware side, part approval is well established: PPAP has standardized for decades which evidence is submitted at which level. On the software side, no such common language existed until now — each customer requested software approval its own way, and suppliers wrestled with expectations that changed from project to project.
CQI-34 was developed by OEMs and supplier experts to close exactly that gap. Taking PPAP’s successful model as its template, SwAAP defines a structured process for approving software — whether it is a standalone product or part of a larger system; it brings together industry-recommended methodologies for software approval and change management, and creates a consistent, predictable basis for collaboration between customer and supplier.
Who should attend CQI-34 training?
- Software and quality teams at suppliers developing embedded software or software-intensive components
- OEM and Tier-1 teams requesting software approval from their suppliers
- Software project managers and software quality assurance (SQA) leads
- Quality engineers running PPAP where the scope also includes software
- Teams responsible for software change management processes
There are no prerequisites; knowledge of PPAP and familiarity with the software development lifecycle make participation easier.
Training Content
General framework
The purpose and scope of CQI-34; the fragmentation of software approval approaches across the industry and the need for a common process; SwAAP’s similarities to the PPAP model and its software-specific differences.
Structure of the SwAAP process
How the software approval process is built: standalone software product and software-within-a-system scenarios; the evidence and outputs expected for approval; customer–supplier responsibilities.
Software change management
Operating the approval process for software changes; impact assessment of a change; re-approval triggers and customer notification.
Practical exercises
Practice through example scenarios: structuring the approval package for a software component, an approval decision in a change scenario, aligning SwAAP with your existing PPAP process.
Learning Outcomes
- Grasping the structure of CQI-34 and its relationship with PPAP
- Planning software approval in standalone-product and in-system scenarios
- Defining the evidence and outputs expected for approval
- Running impact assessment and re-approval for software changes
- Building consistent software approval collaboration between customer and supplier
Duration and Participation Options
Duration: 1 day (in in-house programmes, expandable to 2 days depending on scope and depth of practice).
Participation type: Open enrolment or in-house.
Training method: In person, live online, on-demand recording.
Dates: Set according to demand.
Certificate of Attendance
Participants who complete the training receive a certificate of attendance.
- CQI Trainings — which CQI applies to which process, the overall roadmap
- PPAP Training — the part approval process SwAAP is modelled after
- APQP Training — the product development flow the approval process sits within
- IATF 16949 Training — the automotive quality management system framework
Beyond Training: Implementation Support
After the training, we can provide implementation support: structuring your software approval process against the CQI-34 framework, building the approval package structure and setting up the software change management system. We plan the scope together based on your needs.
Frequently Asked Questions About CQI-34 Training
Does SwAAP replace PPAP? No. PPAP remains the standard for hardware/part approval; SwAAP adapts the same logic to software. For parts containing software, the two processes can be operated together, complementing each other.
We work with ASPICE or ISO 26262 — what does CQI-34 add? ASPICE addresses the capability of the software development process, and ISO 26262 addresses functional safety; CQI-34 standardizes how software approval is presented to the customer. The three answer different questions and can be used together.
We don’t develop the software ourselves — we source it from a sub-supplier. Does the process cover us? Yes. The responsibility to request the approval evidence for the software you integrate from your sub-supplier and present it to your customer remains with you; the manual addresses the responsibilities along that chain.
Our customer requested SwAAP — where should we start? Check the customer-specific requirements (CSRs), obtain the manual and run a gap analysis of your current software approval and delivery practice. The training provides the background needed to plan that process.
Do we need to have purchased the CQI-34 manual for the training? It’s not mandatory; the training conveys the structure and logic of the manual. At the implementation stage, however, we recommend the organization obtain the manual from AIAG.