Ambient light control under Zonal architecture and centralized software

BMW and ADI are working together to explore electronic control under the next generation of regionalized architecture . This article "E2B 10BASE-T1S supports centralized software and regional architecture for future innovative ambient lighting" has made some considerations around ambient light control. That is to say, BMW’s current SP2021 (BCP body domain control) design is completely changed to a model based on high-speed communication .

▲Figure 1. Current design (2021)

In our understanding, there are two effects around the next generation architecture: one is the functional effect and the other is the component effect. The functional effect is that the effect of interior and ambient lighting can meet interactive, real-time and complex control logic. The component effect is to reduce the wiring harness connection, support the Zonal architecture, and the most important thing is to make the components hardware (software is moved up).

▲Figure 2. Future design (2025)

BMW software moved up

A very important thing here is the E2B Hub. The E2B hub covers all hardware, communicates through 10BASE-T1S Ethernet and converts signals into ILaS. ILaS exists in different Zonals. The power is provided and distributed by the Zonal ECU. For For small cars, an E2B hub is enough. For particularly feature-rich luxury vehicles, additional E2B hubs can be added.

▲Figure 3. BMW’s prototype of Zonal lighting control

The iLAS here is the driving part of the LED light, which is widely distributed in various Zonal controllers. In other words, the hardware in the zonal architecture is segmented and the driver is integrated.

▲Figure 4. Cooperation between E2B and Zonal controller

Detailed controller design

In other words, in the consideration of many of us before, adding many functions of Ethernet to the lower layer requires a dedicated MCU and also requires the addition of complex underlying software. This E2B is easy to understand and can provide highly optimized but flexible hardware-based Ethernet edge nodes that support: ◎Remove software/software quality: similar to lights, it becomes a full hardware edge connection node. ◎Simplified OTA: No OTA is required at edge nodes, all software is in the center. ◎Deterministic: The hardware implementation provides a completely deterministic lighting interface, making the hardware intelligent and mapped. ◎Diagnostics: Processed in the central ECU, all connected diagnostics are enabled in the hardware.

◎Security: Hardware-based approach reduces possible attack targets.

▲Figure 5. De-MCU

In other words, if we continue to write the control logic of the lights on the Zonal controller and just centralize the functions, the value of the software will not increase much. In the future, all application software will be coded in a new form in the central control system. The dynamic effects produced by these codes and the possibility of future upgrades will completely surpass those of previous cars. Because of the centralization of software, vehicles can achieve worry-free iteration, otherwise there will be endless software tests waiting for us.

▲Figure 6. The existence form of software

In this process, we may see more heads (cameras, radar heads, light heads) with their software extracted, and then through similar E2B, communication + driver combination, each hardware is networked . Convenient software to manage.

Summary: The number of underlying MCUs and underlying software will be eliminated in large numbers in cars, otherwise it will become a software update nightmare. Therefore, as car companies and chip companies open up these automotive electronics , the era of pure hardening will come. Most of the user-oriented, non-safe automotive electronic controls are simplified to sensors + drivers + communications + central computing power! The retained automotive electronic parts are those that require redundancy and need to be backed up at the bottom layer. Their value is mainly in reliability!