The software-defined vehicle would not be possible without fundamental changes to the vehicle’s electrical and electronics (E/E) architecture and wholly decoupling network functionality from the physical hardware. In the next generation of E/E architecture, also known as Zonal Architecture, resources are not tied to underlying hardware and are ready to be distributed and assigned tasks as needed—similar to the functioning of today’s smartphone ecosystems.

The automotive industry is transitioning to consolidated architecture with decoupled hardware and software in order to provide drivers with an immersive customized driving experience. This will open up new revenue streams for OEMs but they will need to provide a more reasonable time to market. To do this, vehicles must be built with three foundational design philosophies.