Vehicle-centralized, zone-oriented E/E architecture with vehicle computers

graphic depicting two engineers looking at a virtual board with a glass car on it with highlighted e/e architecture

The shift from traditional ECUs to centralized, zonal E/E architectures is accelerating as the industry moves toward software-defined vehicles. These new E/E architectures enable efficient, high-bandwidth communication but also bring new challenges for OEMs and suppliers. We at ETAS support this evolution with our expertise, offering software tools, hardware, and comprehensive services to meet the demands of modern automotive systems.

Key challenges

Integration

Traditional manufacturers need to integrate new approaches into their legacy system landscape.

Resources

Growing market requirements for vehicle functions and fast development cycles call for highly skilled developers.

Cybersecurity

New E/E architectures remain vulnerable to cyberattacks and require robust and comprehensive security concepts.

The future belongs to zone-oriented E/E architecture

The image shows a top-down view of a vehicle with a zone-oriented electrical/electronic (E/E) architecture, illustrating interconnected nodes, control units, and wiring distributed across different zones within the car, representing a modern networked system for efficient data and power distribution. — Zone-oriented E/E architecture with vehicle computers and zonal ECUs

Unlike traditional in-vehicle architectures, zonal E/E architectures use middleware as a software-based overlay across multiple ECUs, abstracting the hardware. This abstraction facilitates advanced cross-functional communication. In the zonal E/E architecture, one or more vehicle computers and zone controllers manage and coordinate the main functions. In addition, the integration of new bus systems, such as Automotive Ethernet or CAN XL, enables real-time communication with high bandwidth.

ETAS – your partner for the journey to a new E/E architecture

Illustration depicting software-defined vehicle

Decoupling of hardware and software

Next generation E/E architectures support hardware-agnostic automotive software, crucial for future software-defined vehicles. This hardware-software decoupling is achieved through a middleware layer and an underlying operating system (OS). The middleware serves as an abstraction layer between the OS and applications, ensuring hardware independence while facilitating integration across different domains by providing services for all applications within the in-vehicle network.

Software-defined vehicle

Automotive middleware

ETAS middleware solutions for microprocessor-based architectures

ETAS offers RTA-VRTE, an automotive middleware for microprocessors based on the AUTOSAR adaptive standard, to support flexible and powerful E/E architectures. This platform software framework includes an operating system, base software, a hypervisor, and integrated safety and security elements. Our middleware consulting services help you to design and implement your middleware architecture according to your requirements.

Automotive middleware for microprocessors

Middleware consulting

Illustration depicting automotive cybersecurity

Future-ready cybersecurity solutions

New zone-oriented E/E architectures call for a complete overhaul of cybersecurity strategies to prevent unauthorized access throughout the connected vehicle's lifecycle. The ESCRYPT Vehicle computer security suite from ETAS enables a secure design for microprocessor-based E/E architectures. With plug-and-play packages for specific operating systems and ready-to-use security sensors it addresses emerging threats, meets the highest security standards, and minimizes development workload.

Automotive cybersecurity

Vehicle computer security