diff --git a/hardware_interface/include/hardware_interface/tools.hpp b/hardware_interface/include/hardware_interface/tools.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ff98cb1157a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hardware_interface/include/hardware_interface/tools.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+// Copyright 2023 ros2_control Development Team
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+
+#ifndef HARDWARE_INTERFACE__TOOLS_HPP_
+#define HARDWARE_INTERFACE__TOOLS_HPP_
+
+#include <locale>
+#include <sstream>
+#include <stdexcept>
+#include <string>
+
+namespace hardware_interface
+{
+
+/** \brief Helper function to convert a std::string to double in a locale-independent way.
+ \throws std::runtime_exception if not a valid number
+ * from
+ https://github.com/ros-planning/srdfdom/blob/ad17b8d25812f752c397a6011cec64aeff090c46/src/model.cpp#L53
+*/
+double toDouble(const std::string & s)
+{
+  // convert from string using no locale
+  std::istringstream stream(s);
+  stream.imbue(std::locale::classic());
+  double result;
+  stream >> result;
+  if (stream.fail() || !stream.eof())
+  {
+    throw std::invalid_argument("Failed converting string to real number");
+  }
+  return result;
+}
+
+}  // namespace hardware_interface
+
+#endif  // HARDWARE_INTERFACE__TOOLS_HPP_
diff --git a/hardware_interface/src/mock_components/generic_system.cpp b/hardware_interface/src/mock_components/generic_system.cpp
index f4aee6c8a6d..f4bc0c6944b 100644
--- a/hardware_interface/src/mock_components/generic_system.cpp
+++ b/hardware_interface/src/mock_components/generic_system.cpp
@@ -26,22 +26,12 @@
 #include <vector>
 
 #include "hardware_interface/component_parser.hpp"
+#include "hardware_interface/tools.hpp"
 #include "hardware_interface/types/hardware_interface_type_values.hpp"
 #include "rcutils/logging_macros.h"
 
 namespace mock_components
 {
-double parse_double(const std::string & text)
-{
-  double result_value;
-  const auto parse_result = std::from_chars(text.data(), text.data() + text.size(), result_value);
-  if (parse_result.ec == std::errc())
-  {
-    return result_value;
-  }
-
-  return 0.0;
-}
 
 CallbackReturn GenericSystem::on_init(const hardware_interface::HardwareInfo & info)
 {
@@ -123,7 +113,7 @@ CallbackReturn GenericSystem::on_init(const hardware_interface::HardwareInfo & i
   it = info_.hardware_parameters.find("position_state_following_offset");
   if (it != info_.hardware_parameters.end())
   {
-    position_state_following_offset_ = parse_double(it->second);
+    position_state_following_offset_ = hardware_interface::toDouble(it->second);
     it = info_.hardware_parameters.find("custom_interface_with_following_offset");
     if (it != info_.hardware_parameters.end())
     {
@@ -169,7 +159,7 @@ CallbackReturn GenericSystem::on_init(const hardware_interface::HardwareInfo & i
       auto param_it = joint.parameters.find("multiplier");
       if (param_it != joint.parameters.end())
       {
-        mimic_joint.multiplier = parse_double(joint.parameters.at("multiplier"));
+        mimic_joint.multiplier = hardware_interface::toDouble(joint.parameters.at("multiplier"));
       }
       mimic_joints_.push_back(mimic_joint);
     }
@@ -696,7 +686,7 @@ void GenericSystem::initialize_storage_vectors(
         // Check the initial_value param is used
         if (!interface.initial_value.empty())
         {
-          states[index][i] = parse_double(interface.initial_value);
+          states[index][i] = hardware_interface::toDouble(interface.initial_value);
         }
       }
     }