Overview of the basic building blocks of the E/E architecture
Before we explore the multiple layers of the E/E architecture, we must start with ECUs. These ECUs are grouped into ECU domains, which are interconnected by a suite of in-vehicle network communication channels. The ECUs are further connected to sensors and actuators through a mixture of hardwired and network-based connections. The combination of ECUs, sensors, actuators, and network channels can be arranged in different configurations, giving rise to several variants of the vehicle E/E architecture. Figure 1.1 shows a simplified example of an E/E architecture:
Figure 1.1 – Simplified vehicle architecture view
Our first stop will be ECUs.