Manuel Sandler - Independent Consultant

Hello, I’m Manuel

Manuel

Sandler

My name is Manuel Sandler, and I’m a freelancer specializing in Automotive Cybersecurity, Functional Safety, and more.

After gaining experience across a wide range of companies – from global organizations to agile startups – I made the decision to go independent and focus on what truly drives me: helping others solve their everyday challenges with deep expertise and a strong commitment to quality and reliability.

I work with clients from around the world on development projects, assessments, and training programs – always with a focus on delivering pragmatic, value-adding solutions.

To support this work, I founded Sandler Consulting – my independent company, registered in Germany. It serves both as a professional base for my freelance activities and as a flexible platform to collaborate with a trusted network of experts. This enables as well larger and more complex projects that go beyond individual support – while still ensuring the same hands-on quality and personal commitment.

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More than 11 years of experience in the automotive industry
More than 11 years of experience in Functional Safety according to ISO 26262 with both German and international OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers
More than 7 years of experience in Automotive Cybersecurity, in line with ISO/SAE 21434 and UN R155
Experience of working with world-leading OEMs, small sports car manufacturers, trailer manufacturers, leading Tier-1 suppliers, medium sized companies and start-ups
More than 8 years of experience in Automotive SPICE
More than 8 years of experience in Process Development and Improvement
Trainer and Coach for Functional Safety, Cybersecurity, Automotive SPICE and Systems Engineering
Author and regular speaker at international conferences

Working Experience

Independent Freelancer

Manuel Sandler Consulting, Munich

Since 04/2024

Independent Consultant in the area of Automotive Cybersecurity, Functional Safety, Automotive SPICE, Systems Engineering and more

Associate Partner, Partner

CYRES Consulting Services, Munich

02/2020 – 04/2024

Overall technical responsible partner at an automotive consultancy with a focus on cybersecurity, functional safety and systems engineering. Building up and supervising an international team of more than 40 consultants.

Responsible for over 20 different client projects and set-up of an international customer base consisting of OEMs, Tier1's and Tier2's.

Establishment of a cybersecurity training program within the ACP framework with more than 1000 trained and certified participants since 2020, as well as active execution as a trainer and development of a team of 8 trainers.

Engineering Process Manager

Autoliv B.V. & Co. KG / Veoneer Germany (Autoliv Spin-Off, since 04/2018) , Dachau

11/2016 – 01/2020

Member of a newly established, international and multidisciplinary team to harmonize the engineering process landscape for an international Tier-1 with responsibility for Functional Safety, Cybersecurity and Systems Engineering.

Acting as Interface and link between ongoing international customer projects, quality assurance, program management and technical and product experts to facilitate the company for the future.
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International trainer for Automotive SPICE, Systems Engineering and Cybersecurity.

Development Engineer

ITK Engineering, Munich

02/2014 – 10/2016

Development Engineer for Functional Safety projects in the Aerospace and Automotive Industry. Worked with German and international OEMs as well as Tier-1s.

Services

I offer hands-on support and expert consulting in key areas such as Automotive Cybersecurity, Functional Safety, Systems Engineering, and Process Development. Whether it’s concept creation, cybersecurity assessments, or coaching and training – I provide tailored solutions aligned with current standards like ISO 26262, ISO/SAE 21434, and Automotive SPICE.

(01) Organizational Cybersecurity Management

(02) Project Cybersecurity Management and Engineering

(03) Functional Safety on Organizational Level

(04) Functional Safety on Project Level

(05) Automotive SPICE

(06) Process Development and Improvement

(07) Project Management

(08) Systems Engineering

(09) Training & Coaching

(01)

Organizational Cybersecurity Management

Gap Analysis for UN R155 and/or ISO/SAE 21434 capability
Gap Analysis for UN R155 and/or ISO/SAE 21434 compliance
Gap Analysis for ASPICE Cybersecurity compliance
Consultancy on CSMS establishment and roll-out
Preparation to UN R155 CoC
Preparation to UN R155 Type Approval
Cybersecurity Audit (acc. to ISO/SAE 21343) preparation and/or execution
Definition and/or improvement of Cybersecurityprocesses, methods and templates

(02)

Project Cybersecurity Management and Engineering

Interims Cybersecurity Manager
Client Communication and Negotiation
Supplier Management
Cybersecurity Assessment (acc. to ISO/SAE 21343) preparation and/or execution
Review of ISO/SAE 21434 work products
Consultancy on tailoring against ISO/SAE 21434 in case of special products
Interims Cybersecurity Manager
Coaching on the job

(03)

Functional Safety on Organizational Level

Functional Safety Audit (acc. to ISO 26262) preparation and/or execution
Definition and/or improvement of Functional Safety processes, methods and templates
Gap Analysis for ISO 26262 compliance

(04)

Functional Safety on Project Level

Interims Functional Safety Manager
Interims Functional Safety Engineer
Client Communication
Supplier Management
Functional Safety Assessment (acc. to ISO 26262) preparation and/or execution
Functional Safety Engineering on concept and system level
Technical Review of ISO 26262 work products
Confirmation Review of ISO 26262 work products
Coaching on the job

(05)

Automotive SPICE

Gap Analysis for Automotive SPICE compliance, incl. improvement measures
Coaching on the job

(06)

Process Development and Improvement

Development of engineering process landscape compliant to automotive standards
Support in Evaluation and selection of process modelling tools based on individual needs
Process improvement to increase efficiency along the development lifecycle

(07)

Project Management

Interim (Technical) Project Lead
Planning and coordination of parallel multi-disciplinary, technical working streams to ensure project target with respect to effort, timing and quality
Coaching junior project leads for Automotive development projects

(08)

Systems Engineering

Definition and establishment of Systems Engineering processes
Interim System Team Lead
Interim Requirement Engineer
Evaluation, selection, introduction and roll-out Requirement Management Tools
Coaching on the job

(09)

Training & Coaching

Training Execution for Cybersecurity, Functional Safety, ASPICE and Systems Engineering
Definition of training concepts based on specific customer products, environment as well as company size and culture
Creation of didactically valuable training material under consideration of on-site and remote training execution
Coaching of the job to enable junior and career changes in the field of functional safety and cybersecurity

INDUSTRIES AND CLIENTS

Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to work with a wide range of clients – from leading OEMs to Tier-1 suppliers, startups, and niche manufacturers. This diverse experience helps me quickly understand different organizational needs and project cultures, and to deliver practical results across various automotive domains.

Car manufacturer

• World Leading OEMs
• Famous sport car manufacturers
• Start-ups for manufacturing electric sport cars
• Start-ups for manufacturing hydrogen-powered trucks
• European leading manufacturer for waste collecting vehicles

Tier-1 supplier

• International sensor and ECU supplier
• US-based supplier for door opening ECUs
• German mid-size supplier for wheel lock systems
• German mid-size supplier for steering systems
• Swedish-based international supplier for Lidar sensors
• US-based start-up for lidar sensors (new entering the automotive market)
• International supplier for light system
• German Mid-sized supplier for mirror replacement systems
• International supplier for NFC chip cards (new entering the automotive market)

Tier-2 supplier

• World leading chip manufacturer
• National software supplier

Other

• Word wide leading consulting companies
• German Engineering Service prover
• National technical services

Project history

Over the past years, I have supported a variety of projects across different areas of the automotive industry covering my entire service portfolio. The following selection provides insight into the type and scope of work I typically take on.

Multi disciplinary

SFC Manager (2 times)

Client: International supplier for Lidar systems (Tier-1)

Duration: 1 year, 9 months

Leading a 10-person project team for functional safety, cybersecurity and systems engineering within sensor development project with an US based end-customer as well as a German based end-customer.

CYBER SECURITY

Interim Cybersecurity Manager and Engineer for hydrogen-powered trucks

Client: Young start-up manufacturer for hydrogen-powered trucks

Duration: ongoing

Planning and creation of cybersecurity work product based on ISO/SAE 21434 in young and growing environment considering of a two-stage type approval, including support in preparation of UN R155 audit and assessment as well as coaching and enabling of internal team members.

Item Definition | TARA | Cybersecurity Concept | Cybersecurity Requirements

Definition and Establishment of CSMS and SUMS (commercial vehicles)

Client: European leading manufacturer for commercial vehicles (OEM)

Duration: ongoing

Definition and establishment of a Cybersecurity Management System (CSMS) according to UN R155 and Software Update Management System (SUMS) for an international manufacturer of commercial vehicles, including Certificate of Compliance (CoC) and Type Approval preparation. Additionally, development of internal cybersecurity training concept and creation training material to achieve company-wide evidence of competence.

CSMS | SUMS | UN R155 | UN R156 | CoC | Cybersecurity Training

Cybersecurity Assessment

Client: World leading chip manufacturer (Tier-2)

Duration: ongoing

Execution of Cybersecurity Assessment according to ISO/SAE 21434 and internal cybersecurity processes

Cybersecurity Assessments | ISO/SAE 21434 | Tier-2

Definition and Establishment of CSMS and SUMS (electric sport car OEM)

Client: Electric sports car manufacturer (OEM)

Duration: 9 months

Definition and establishment of a Cybersecurity Management System (CSMS) according to UN R155 and Software Update Management System (SUMS), including alignment with external production plants.

CSMS | SUMS | UN R155 | UN R156 | Process Development

Gap Analysis for ISO/SAE 21434 compliance and Assessment preparation

Client: Supplier for multi-purpose ECUs (Tier-1)

Duration: 5 months

Performing Gap Analysis of development projects for ISO/SAE 21434 compliance and derivation of improvement measures to reach successfully pass ISO/SAE 21434 assessment by 3rd party.

CSMS | ISO/SAE 21434 compliance | Gap Analysis | Cybersecurity Assessment
preparation

Definition and Establishment of CSMS incl. audit (sport car OEM)

Client: Famous sports car manufacturer (OEM)

Duration: 12 months

Responsible for definition and implementation of a Cybersecurity Management System (CSMS) according to UN R155 for a well-known sports car manufacturer (OEM), successfully audited by the British Technical Service, as well as creation and roll-out of an internal CSMS training program and acting as trainer.

FUNCTIONAL SAFETY

Coordination and quality assurance of an 8-person Indian Functional Safety Engineering team

Client: Mid-size consulting company supporting a famous sports car manufacturer (OEM)

Duration: 12 months

Acting as a quality gate between an outsourced Indian engineering team and a luxury sports car manufacturer for the creation of ISO 26262 engineering work products at vehicle level within time and budget constraints, including moderation in the event of language and cultural barriers.

Functional Safety Process Improvement for OEM

Client: Famous sports car manufacturer (OEM)

Duration: ongoing

Analysis and improvement of existing and definition of new Functional Safety Processes as well as creation of templates according to ISO 26262, taking into account customer-specific requirements for efficiency and effectiveness.

ISO 26262 | Functional Safety Rules and Processes | Process Improvements | Templates

Functional Safety Manager for mirror replacement system

Client: Supplier for mirror replacement systems in automotive and aerospace (Tier-1)

Duration: 3 years

Acting as Functional Safety Manager in several client projects, including coordination of safety activities and ensuring compliance to client requirements and ISO 26262. Coaching projects teams in Functional Safety needs.

Functional Safety Management | Safety Plan | Safety Case | Distributed Development

Functional Safety templates and process improvements

Client: Supplier of steering systems for buses and trucks (Tier-1)

Duration: 12 years

Creation of Functional Safety templates according to ISO 26262, taking into account the customer's products and existing processes, to improve functional safety development in terms of time, effort and quality.

Functional Safety Management | Functional Safety Processes and Templates

Functional Safety Manager Lidar Sensor

Client: Supplier for Lidar Sensors in automotive and aerospace (Tier-1, Tier-2)

Duration: 8 months

Acting as Functional Safety Manager in a Lidar project, including coordination of safety activities, analyzing customer requirements and negotiating Functional Safety needs with OEM.

Functional Safety Management | Safety Plan | Requirements Analysis | DIA

Functional Engineer for door opening ECU and steering wheel lock system

Client: Supplier for multi-purpose ECU and steering wheel lock system (Tier-1)

Duration: 14 months

Acting as Functional Safety Engineering for creation of technical work products such as Technical Safety Requirements, Software Safety Requirements, Test Cases, incl. alignment with internal teams and customers.

Functional Safety Engineering | Functional Safety Concept | Software Safety Requirements

ASPICE

Automotive SPICE Gap Analysis and coaching

Client: International Sensor and ECU supplier (Tier-1)

Duration: 2 years

Performing ASPICE Gap in different international projects, including joint derivation of action plans and hands-on coaching of project members.

Automotive SPICE | ASPICE for cybersecurity | Gap Analysis | Assessment preparation

Automotive SPICE training

Client: International Sensor and ECU supplier (Tier-1)

Duration: 9 months

Preparation of customer internal ASPICE training material and execution of on-site trainings in Asia.

Automotive SPICE | Automotive SPICE training

SYSTEMS ENGINEERING

Interims System Lead

Client: Swedish supplier for Lidar systems (Tier-1)

Duration: 8 months

Leading system engineering activities, including a 4 person team, for analysis of customer requirements, derivation of system requirements, creation of architectural models and alignment of specification with internal teams and customer as well as introduction of a state-of-the-art requirements management tool.

Stakeholder Requirements | System Requirements | System Architectural Design |
codeBeamer

Systems Engineering Training

Client: International Sensor and ECU supplier (Tier-1)

Duration: 9 months

Preparation of customer internal Systems Engineering training material based on INCOSE and execution of on-site trainings in Germany and Asia.

Systems Engineering | INCOSE

PARTNER
SHIPS AND COOP
ERATIONS

In a complex and highly specialized field like automotive development, no one can (or should) do everything alone. I strongly believe in the value of collaboration, openness, and shared expertise – not only to deliver better results, but also to grow as professionals and support each other in meaningful ways. That’s why I’m always open to cooperations with other freelancers, companies, and organizations – whether it's for individual tasks, full-scale projects, or long-term partnerships. I know where my strengths lie – and where others might bring better answers. When needed, I can rely on a strong and experienced network of professionals to support with additional expertise and resources. This enables me to take on larger or interdisciplinary challenges with confidence and quality.
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How I Work with Others
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Cooperation can take many forms – from informal exchange to joint delivery. Some examples:
- Information and knowledge exchange
- Experience exchange & peering
- Mutual review support
- Joint publications
- Joint project offering
- Expert network building
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Interested in working together or exchanging ideas?
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I’m always happy to get in touch with like-minded professionals and organizations. Just reach out – and let’s explore how we can create value together.

COMPANIES I COLLABORATE WITH

Breachlabz

Cooperation for cybersecurity penetration testing and more
Website

CYEQT Knowledge Base

Knowledge creation, coaching and publications

Website

FREELANCERS I TEAM UP WITH

Orhun Suezer

Globally recognized expert and pioneer in automotive cybersecurity, covering the entire value and supply chain
Website | LinkedIn

Jan-Peter von Hunnius

Embedded systems and automotive cybersecurity specialist; also lecturer for cybersecurity at university of applied science Joanneum Graz
Website | LinkedIn

Patrick Rieger

Founder of Qumasoft, with expertise in strategy and management for product development and cybersecurity
Website | LinkedIn

Florian Sack

Head of Systems Development in the field of micromobility and Freelance Consultant, with expertise in Systems Engineering, Process Implementation and 2-wheeler technologies
LinkedIn

Matthis Eicher

Experienced specialist in functional safety and artificial intelligence, with several years of hands-on project work across various industries.
LinkedIn

Rustam Achundov

Functional Safety and Cybersecurity Engineer with hands-on experience in multiple products on OEM and supplier side
LinkedIn

Arne-P. Berg

Experienced specialist in strategic content marketing and target audience-oriented technical communication in automotive cybersecurity.
Website | LinkedIn

OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND NETWORKS

ARSG

Member of Orga team for ASRG SOS Conference 2025
Website

PUBLI
CATIONS AND TALKS

Sharing knowledge and exchanging ideas is an essential part of how I work – both to support the community and to foster collaboration across disciplines. Over the years, I’ve contributed to a number of industry publications, conference presentations, and technical blogs, covering key topics such as Functional Safety, Automotive Cybersecurity, and Systems Engineering.

BOOKS AND MAGAZINE ARTICLES

Technical deep-dives and expert contributions in renowned industry publications

ISO/SAE 21434:2021 Workbook

Officially licensed by ISO/DIN, published 2023 at CYRES Consulting Services GmbH

ISBN 978-3-00-075906-2

The Essential Guide to ISO/SAE 21434

Published 2021 at CYRES Consulting Services GmbH

ISBN 978-3-00-068422-7

Wie Cybersicherheit die Fahrzeugindustrie transformiert

Published 02/2024 at QZ-online

Ohne Cybersecurity fährt künftig nichts mehr

Published 10/2021 at QZ-online

CONFERENCE SPEECHES AND PRESENTATIONS

Talks and presentations held at national and international conferences.

How to better carry out global cyber security operation for SDV?

Panel Discussion Member @ AutoSec Europe – Europe Automotive Cybersecurity and Data Security Summit, 21.03.2025

From Regulation to Practice Frameworks for Cybersecurity Manager to Enable Better Cybersecurity

SECURE OUR STREETS CONFERENCE 2024, 19.09.2024 (YouTube)

BEYOND THEORY: HOW TO APPLY ISO/SAE 21434 IN PRACTICE?

Automotive Cybersecurity Europe, 28.11.2023

8 insightful recommendations for OEMs and suppliers to jointly implement cybersecurity

ELIV – Electronics in Vehicles Congress, 19.10.2023

How to establish a cybersecurity culture in automotive development

SECURE OUR STREETS CONFERENCE, 14.09.2023 (YouTube)

Paving the way to certificate compliance for UN Regulation No 155

9th International VDI Conference Cyber Security for Vehicles, 23.06.2023

Implementing Cybersecurity in Automotive Projects Right: 7 Management and Engineering Must Haves

SECURE OUR STREETS CONFERENCE, 15.09.2022 (YouTube)

How to avoid mistakes in Cybersecurity Projects in the Automotive Industry

8th International VDI Conference Cyber Security for Vehicles, 07.07.2022

BE PREPARED FOR ISO/SAE 21434 COMPLIANCE: GET STARTED LEARNING AUTOMOTIVE CYBERSECURITY

ElectraIC Training Series, 15.02.2022

BLOG ARTICLES AND ONLINE CONTRIBUTIONS

Informal, practical insights – with a focus on real-world challenges and solutions.

Blog articles are published in cooperation with CYEQT Knowledge Base

Functional Safety and Cybersecurity: Balancing safety and security in automotive development

UN R155 Audit: Checklist and tools for preparing for the CSMS audit

UN Regulation No. 155: Status quo in 2024