That sounds nice...but then you will be replaced by a developer that will toe the company line. You're making 'unreasonable' demands and holding up progress. 'We can fix that with version 2.0'
If every developer on the planet suddenly had a pang of consciousness, then something like this would work.
Fortunately I have never found myself in such a position, but I have seen it many many times.
That's why we should probably require engineering certifications for working on safety-critical software. Working on such software should require demonstrating a certain level of knowledge and upholding a code of ethics.
I generally oppose certification for engineers, but solving collective action dilemmas like this and saving lives in the process is exactly where it would help.
How do you ensure someone upholds a code of ethics? Licensing is not the answer. I'm sure there are many PEs that find themselves in similar situations.
I know examples of people in licensed fields who have sworn to uphold a code of ethics, but have been caught up in very similar situations.
I can't find it now but I just saw a video recently of a rail bridge with a crumbling foundation that had just been signed off on by a PE and declared safe by the railroad.
