Zonal Controller Units & Solid-State Power Distribution
AutomotiveNodes defines the hardware and firmware blueprint for zonal gateway nodes (ZCUs). By replacing mechanical relays with software-configurable silicon eFuses and consolidating legacy CAN/LIN subnets into 10BASE-T1S multi-drop Ethernet, it cuts wire-harness mass by 30% and provides microsecond-speed short-circuit protection.
Zonal Node Architecture Zonal Architecture
Central Controller: Zonal Node Architecture — Quadrant Edge Gateway & eFuse
Zonal Control Units & TSN Ring
- Smart Solid-State eFuse Bank
- 10BASE-T1S Multidrop PHY
- CAN-FD / LIN Local Cluster
- Zonal TSN 1 Gbps Uplink
- High-Side MOSFET Diagnostics
Dismantling Central Fuse Boxes in Favor of Localized Solid-State Distribution
Traditional cross-vehicle wire harnesses snake hundreds of copper conductors through door jambs and firewalls to connect actuators back to a central fuse and relay block. AutomotiveNodes places intelligent edge gateways directly in vehicle corners, using high-side smart power MOSFETs (eFuses) that dynamically profile load curves, self-heal transient overcurrents, and communicate actuation states over single-pair Ethernet.
Core Engineering Areas
- Smart eFuse Power Distribution — Replacing thermal fuses with intelligent silicon MOSFET switches that detect overcurrent events and isolate short circuits in under 10 microseconds.
- 10BASE-T1S Automotive Ethernet — Deploying IEEE 802.3cg 10BASE-T1S multidrop topologies to connect up to 8 sensor nodes on a single unshielded twisted pair without switches.
- Zonal Actuator Virtualization — Publishing local zonal motors, pumps, and solenoids as SOME/IP or REST services via COVESA vehicle signal specifications (VSS).
Technical Articles
Related Cluster Architecture Specifications
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- A2HumanCard — Standardized In-Vehicle AI Agent Capability Discovery, Trust & Authorization Cards
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