Zonal EE Architecture:

Towards a Fully Automotive Ethernet–Based Vehicle

Infrastructure
Jochen Klaus-Wagenbrenner
September 24, 2019
Agenda

• Company Background
• Automotive Cockpit & ADAS/AD Technology Trends
• Motivation and Impacts for a New EE Architecture
• Zonal EE Architecture
• Architecture Development
• Power Distribution
• Zonal Gateways and Super Cores
• Example for Topology Optimization
• Service-Oriented Architecture
• Challenges
• Summary

2
Visteon Product Portfolio

Visteon Market Position

Instrument Head-up Cockpit Infotainment Displays Connectivity Self-driving
clusters displays computer Connected car
Top 5 Tier 1 supplier

#1 Digital clusters
Rank

#2 Center stack displays

Rank
Source: Rankings from 2016 ABI Research and IHS Markit.

Head-up displays

Comprehensive Cockpit Electronics Portfolio

3 Copyright © Visteon Corporation, 2019
Automotive Cockpit & ADAS/AD Technology Trends
MACRO TRENDS AUTOMOTIVE

Autonomous Electric
Connected Shared

COCKPIT AND ADAS TRENDS

Digital Connected ECU Cockpit for

Cockpit Car Consolidation Autonomous
New
EE
2021 2024 2027 2030 Architecture

L2+/L3 L3/ L4
Highway Experimental L4 L4/L5
Motorways
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 ECU Consolidation Roadmap

Yesterday Today Tomorrow Future

Compute 1 Compute 2 Compute 1

Modular Domain ECUs Redundant Computing Platform Central Computing Platform

Consolidation of ECUs into Service-Oriented Architecture Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA)
domain controllers (SOA) direct memory access network access oriented
30 - 100+ Reduces cost, weight and power Parallel computing carrier offer Dynamic configuration and
consumption redundancy and safety seamless redundancy
ECUs in a car
Leverages silicon and software Open scalable platform for OEM
Blade upgradeable concept
innovations system integration

Central Computing for Optimized Cost, Weight, Power Distribution, Security, Flexibility
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Motivation for a New EE Architecture
• Current EE architectures with domain controllers and a central gateway have
grown over time and became very complex:
• 3rd heaviest part up to 80 kg
• Absolute length of up to 5 km
• 3rd highest cost component, with a high cost of
labor (1000+ production minutes)

• Todays trends such as automated driving

increase significantly the demand for the
wiring harness:
• Increasing number of actuators and sensors
• Increasing data processing capabilities and
required data bandwidth in the vehicle
• Increasing need of intelligent power distribution

EE Architecture Is About to Change

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Impacts on EE Architecture
• System architecture:
• Car wiring harness
• Organization and design of ECUs System Architecture Software Architecture
• Peripheral devices: actuators and sensors
• Cloud connection
• Software architecture:
• Application and services
• Middleware and OS/BSP (Adaptive AUTOSAR) TSN*
impacts enables

• Game changers:
• Time Sensitive Networking (TSN)*
• Conversion into pure IP-based end2end real-time communication network
• Intelligent power distribution will be aligned with data distribution in the new
EE architecture at the same time

Automotive Ethernet TSN Transforms Future EE Architectures

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Vehicle Zonal EE Architecture Tomorrow
• Zonal approach including first level
of consolidation in three domains:
• ADAS Super Core
• Body Super Core
Front Middle Rear
• Cockpit Super Core right right right

• Automotive Ethernet TSN Super Core 2 Automotive

backbone with high bandwidth Front Super Core 1 Ethernet TSN

and deterministic real-time Super Core 3

communication facilities
Middle
Front left Rear left
left

• Sensors and actuators are

connected to zonal gateway ECUs
Sensor Actuator Zonal Gateway ECU Processing ECU

Communication backbone

8 Copyright © Visteon Corporation, 2019

Vehicle Zonal EE Architecture Future
• Further consolidation of the
processing units

• Processing blades provide scalable Front Middle Rear

right right right
computational power

• Automotive Ethernet TSN Automotive

Ethernet TSN
backbone architecture reused Front Super Core

• Zonal architecture blends upcoming

vehicle functions and technologies Front left
Middle
left
Rear left

with savings in weight and cost

Sensor Actuator Zonal Gateway ECU Processing ECU

Communication backbone

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Vehicle Zonal Intelligent Power Distribution
• Dual battery scenario with
hierarchical power distribution
• Promoting the application of
electronic switches and fuses Front Middle Rear
right right right

• Integration in zonal gateways

Battery
allow for novel applications:
• Virtualizing the central fuse box Automotive
Front Super Core Ethernet TSN
• Tailored fuse characteristics
• Intelligent power management: Battery
load optimization and power saving
• Advanced fault prediction based on Front left
Middle
Rear left
left
current and voltage sensing
• Additional savings due to fuse
and load optimization Sensor Actuator Zonal Gateway ECU Processing ECU Power distribution

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 Vehicle Zonal EE Architecture
I2C, I3C, CSI, DSI, I2S

Automotive
PCIe, GMSLx, Automotive Ethernet /
Ethernet
FPDLx Automotive Wireless
Zonal 10BaseT1s
Ethernet Fast Ethernet (OBD)
Gateway
100BaseT1 Super Core
eSwitches, eFuses Multi GiG Multi GiG
1000BaseT1
Multi GiG

LIN, CAN, PSI5, UART, SPI

Zonal Gateway ECU Super Core - Central Computing Platform

• Provides and distributes data & power and supports • Acts as inCar application server supporting
any feature available in this specific vehicle zone Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA)
• Zone is a local vehicle specific portion of the vehicle • Multi SoCs-based control unit with Multi GiG
• Supports any kind of interface for sensors, interface
actuators, displays (network difference or signals) • Specific SoCs (e.g. for AI)
• 10BaseT1s could replace other interfaces like CAN • Fully scalable and upgradable platform
FD, FlexRay, etc. • Connects to Edge and Cloud back-end
• Act as gateway, switch and as smart junction box • May act also as zonal gateway
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Zonal Gateway ECU Design Approach
• Provide functionality for the vehicle zone
Main MCU • Switch for IP devices and backbone
Redundant CAN
• Gateway for legacy devices (LIN, CAN, ...)
Power
Power App
Power supply Core
CAN • Power delivery (PoDL, power cables)
supply
Complex CAN • eSwitch/eFuse functionality
• Additional computation power capability
CAN
Dev1 CAN • Scalable
Dev2 RT Core
CAN
• MCU and application cores
eSwitch Complex
Dev3
/eFuse
• eFuse/high side power distribution
LIN
Dev4 • Switch and gateway port count
Dev N LIN • ASIL levels
PoDL
PoDL • Mechanics
10BT1s • Sealed and not sealed according build-in position
1000BT1
Backbone • Small footprint
Interface Ethernet 100BT1
1000BT1 • Moderate power dissipation
Switch
1000BT1 100BT1 • High power distribution capability
PoDL - Power over Data Line

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Case Study Setup – Optimized EE Architecture
• Estimate the wiring harness of different zonal architectures
• Qualify the trade-off between savings in harness and expenses on zonal ECUs
• Therefore an environment was set up to
• map the ECUs on the layout of the vehicle
• automatically generate a wiring harness from the positions of the ECUs
• analyze the harness and derive requirements for the design of the zonal ECU
• apply constrained 2D routing algorithms, considering single wire, etc.

Spatial mapping of the ECUs onto the layout of the vehicle Wiring the ECUs in a zonal architecture and estimating the harness length

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Case Study Result – Optimized EE Architecture
• Zonal architectures bear savings of 50% and more in
length of the wiring harness for
• Control and distribute data
• Power distribution
• Increase of savings with larger number of Front
right
Middle
right
Rear right

sensors/actuators
• Saving in wiring harness vs expenses on zonal gateway Super Core 2 Automotive

ECUs: trade-off can be solved with 6 to 11 zones Front Super Core 1

Ethernet TSN

Super Core 3

• Complexity of the sub-harnesses drops down to a level

that allows automated manufacturing (max. wiring Front left
Middle
Rear left

connection length < 3 m, excluding the backbone)

left

• Uniformed zonal ECUs in numbers and types of Sensor Actuator Zonal Gateway ECU Processing ECU
Sensor Actuator Zonal Gateway ECU Processing ECU
interfaces are potentially deployable across
• Variants and trim levels
• Platforms and car lines

Zonal EE Architecture Leads to Significant Savings

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14
Service-Oriented-Architecture in Zonal Settings
• Disruption in EE topology impacts the software ecosystem
• Functions no longer associated by ECU, but by domain
• A single function is constituted by services, provided by Function
different ECUs
• Several SW suppliers delivering services to the same ECU
• Business logic of functions moved to a central application server
• Standards supporting SOA
• Adaptive AUTOSAR
• ARA::COM communication middleware S1 S2 S3

• Common API is a base for SOA

• Communication between domains via SOME/IP
ECU 1 ECU 2 ECU 3

• Key benefits
• Allows portability of functions on different ECUs / domains
• Enabler for realizing onboard / offboard function split Functions are broken down into services,
Services run on different ECUs,
• Increases potential for reusability of Software Components (SWC)
ECUs are interconnected via Automotive Ethernet TSN.

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 Applying the Advantages of SOA
• Abstract from physical to logical connections
• Services availability throughout the
IP-based network
• Well-established experience from Front
right
Middle
right
Rear
right
other industries are applicable S2

• Legacy communication mechanisms

will remain S1 F Automotive
Front Super Core Ethernet TSN
• Mission critical ECUs (e.g. ESP)
using signal-based communication
• Services can be mapped on legacy
ECUs, e.g. using Classic AUTOSAR Middle
S3
Front left Rear left
left
• Novel functions without changes
on ECUs and on wiring harness
Sensor
Sensor Actuator
Actuator Zonal
ZonalGateway
GatewayECUECU Processing ECU
Processing ECU Service/ Function
Service/Function
• Decreased topology complexity
• Increased potential of wiring optimizations

Combination of Zonal Architecture and SOA Proliferate Functionalities

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16
Overall Challenges of Zonal EE Architectures
• Conspicuous product and system requirements
• Safety requirements, e.g. missing solutions in standards
• EMC induced by combination of data and power distribution
• Additional space requirements for installation in the vehicle
• Heat dissipation on high performance computing units or power switching
• Early start-up scenarios

• Implications on the system architecture

• Partitioning of data processing: smart sensor vs cloud processing
• Integration of high data rate sensor / actuator, such as raw data cameras, e.g. > 1Gbit/s
• Integration of very low complexity and legacy device, e.g. “cheap” ECUs (LIN, CAN)
• Interplay between multiple real-time communication channels, legacy traffic, class traffic, etc.

• Structural implications
• Optimization of various cost trade-offs, such as production – material – labor
• Organizational barriers between communication network vs power distribution departments on OEM and
supplier side
• Collaboration model in development and production in between OEM, Tier 1s and Tier 2s
• Availability of cutting edge ECU components, e.g., TSN enabled switches, eFuses, etc.
• Global deployment of uniformed zonal gateways at OEM production sites in dedicated car lines / trim levels

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Partitioning of Data Processing in the Zonal Setting
• The data processing shall happen in • Data processing is attributed by the
real-time with low latency • data rate at the input/output side,
• Sensors create data which can be • computational power required to process
the data
processed either
• next to the sensor (smart sensor), • Fusion of data can be done with
• in a zonal ECU with appropriate • raw sensor data (early fusion) or with
computational power, • processed data: object data (late fusion)
• in a central compute node such as • Central fusion of raw data may make
Super Core or
sense for novel “AI” techniques but
• off-board in Edge or Cloud computing
facilities. requires significant bandwidth

Zonal ECU Super Core

Sensor
Sensor Actuator
Actuator Zonal
Zonal Gateway
Gateway ECU ECU Processing
Processing
ECU ECU

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 Summary - New Zonal EE Architecture
• Automotive Ethernet TSN network approach is
the common rail for the zonal architecture
• 1 to n zones
• High bandwidth and real-time communication
Front Middle Rear
• Reliability and fail operational right right right

• Zonal ring approach with is fully scalable:

• Entry to luxury segment
• Automated driving Level 1 to Level 5 (SAE) Super Core 2 Automotive
• Combustion engine cars, EV’s and hybrid vehicles Front Super Core 1 Ethernet TSN

• The zonal gateways will provide and distribute Super Core 3

data & power across the vehicle

• Zonal ECU concept matches the demands
Middle
of service-oriented architectures Front left
left
Rear left

• New developments in EE lead to a paradigm

shift, requiring bold re-organization of the
vehicle topology Sensor
Sensor Actuator
Actuator Zonal
ZonalGateway
GatewayECUECU Processing
Processing ECU
ECU

Zonal EE Architecture Unleashes Significant Savings

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