#E/Earchitectures

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Domain Controllers in Automotive Applications

November 5, 2024

by dorleco

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eMOBILITY CONTROLS

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Introduction

In automotive applications, Domain Controllers are a specialized computer that manages a set of vehicle functions within a specific area, or domain. Functional domains that typically need a domain controller require substantial computing power and are connected to numerous input/output (I/O) devices. Examples include active safety, user experience, and body and chassis functions.

Radars, cameras, and other sensors around the car provide inputs to an active safety domain controller, which then uses that data to build a model of the surroundings. Based on what the model indicates, software programs in the domain controller subsequently decide “policy and planning” what the vehicle should do. For instance, based on pre-set regulations, the software may use sensor-generated images to identify a pedestrian who will cross the road and trigger the car to either apply the brakes or warn the driver.

Types of Domain Controllers in Vehicles

According to their functional domain, domain controllers in the automotive sector usually fall into one of several major categories:

Powertrain Domain Controller: In charge of controlling the car’s engine, gearbox, and additional propulsion and power systems. These controllers are essential for maximizing performance, emissions, and fuel economy. Powertrain domain controllers regulate the motor, battery, and energy flow in electric cars.

Chassis and Body Domain Controller: These controllers regulate the vehicle’s body features like door locks, climate control, and lighting as well as its physical dynamics like steering, braking, and suspension. The vehicle’s comfort and safety are enhanced by chassis and body domain controllers.

Active Safety Domain Controller: Made to interpret information from radar, cameras, and sensors to make safety judgments in real-time. This domain controller is crucial for features like adaptive cruise control, automated emergency braking, and lane-keeping because it builds a model of the environment around the car.

Information entertainment and user experience Domain controllers are in charge of the infotainment system, instrument cluster, and other controls that interact with passengers, such as the navigation and climate systems. These controllers facilitate functions that improve the user’s engagement with the car, resulting in a smooth and joyful experience.

Why are Domain Controllers Essential?

Several factors are driving the growing use of domain controller in automobiles:

Complexity Reduction: As cars get more features, there are more electronic control units (ECUs), which makes the wiring system more complex. By combining many ECUs into a single, central controller, domain controllers simplify the wiring harness of the car and increase durability.

Increased Processing Capacity: As automobile technology has developed, cars now need a significant amount of processing power. The power required to manage complicated activities, such as processing radar data for active safety features or operating high-definition graphics for infotainment systems, is provided by domain controllers, which are tuned for certain functions.

Reduced Manufacturing Costs: Automakers can reduce costs related to components, wiring, and software development by reducing the number of ECUs by combining various functions into a single controller. Because fewer ECUs need to be integrated and deployed, domain controllers also expedite the production process.

Software Update Facilitation: Continuous enhancement of vehicle performance and features is made possible by over-the-air (OTA) software upgrades, which are made possible by a centralized controller configuration. As manufacturers remotely send out new features and safety improvements, OTA updates are becoming more and more valuable.

Domain Controllers and the Evolution of E/E Architecture

Because they enable further centralization and standardization of vehicle functions, domain controllers are fundamental to the development of automotive electrical/electronic (E/E) architecture. Conventional E/E designs are made up of dispersed ECUs that are each in charge of a certain task and are located throughout the car. But as car technology has developed, this model has grown unwieldy, necessitating a more efficient strategy.

Functions can be organized into discrete domains with domain controller, each of which is controlled by a strong controller. This is a big step toward a centralized computing model, in which almost all vehicle operations are managed by one or more powerful computers. It is anticipated that manufacturers will keep combining domain controller into a single computing platform in the future, which would streamline the design of the car, cut down on wire, and improve processing power.

Smart Vehicle ArchitectureTM (SVA), which aims to create a centralized E/E architecture based on domain controllers and central computer units, is a well-known illustration of this approach. Increased connection, enhanced energy efficiency, and scalable software-driven features — all crucial for electric and driverless cars — are made possible by this strategy.

Key Domains Controlled by Domain Controllers

1. Active Safety

Perhaps the most important component in modern automobiles, particularly those advancing toward greater degrees of autonomy, is the active safety domain controller. A variety of sensors located throughout the car, including as cameras, radars, and LiDAR, provide data to active safety controllers. The controller makes decisions about safety-related activities by using this data to build a model of the vehicle’s environment.

For example, the system may automatically apply the brakes or notify the driver if it detects a pedestrian in the route of the car. Features like adaptive cruise control, blind-spot identification, and lane departure warning depend on this domain controller.

2. User Experience

Domain controller oversee in-cabin amenities like the infotainment system, climate control, and digital instrument clusters in the context of user experience. To provide a seamless user experience, this domain controller works with a variety of input/output devices, including touchscreens, audio systems, and reconfigurable displays.

User experience domain controllers make it possible to seamlessly integrate cell phones, cloud services, and sophisticated voice and gesture controls with the trend toward linked and personalized automobiles. They enable automakers to provide a customized driving experience that can be adjusted to suit each customer’s tastes.

Chassis and body suspension, braking, steering, lighting, and door control are among the structural and motion-related operations managed by the body and chassis domain controller. Because it allows for precise control over the vehicle’s physical characteristics, this domain improves comfort and safety. For example, it can activate adaptive headlight systems that change according to steering angle and speed, or it can modify the suspension according to road conditions to improve ride quality.

The advantages of domain controllers

The following advantages of domain controller make them very appealing to automakers:

Better Performance: Automakers can enhance processing speed and performance by optimizing hardware and software for certain activities through the use of domain-specific controllers.

Cost-effectiveness: By lowering the number of separate ECUs, domain controllers contribute to lower production, wiring, and system integration expenses. Scalability: Due to its capacity to adapt to changing software requirements, domain controllers facilitate the addition of new features and upgrades.

Enhanced Security: As cars become more interconnected, safeguarding data and managing cyber security threats becomes more crucial. This is made possible by fewer, centralized computing nodes.

Challenges and Considerations

Although domain controllers have many benefits, there are drawbacks as well:

High Development Costs: A substantial investment is needed to create domain controllers with adequate processing power and resilience.

Complex Integration: In a vehicle with several systems, it can be difficult for domain controllers to connect across multiple domains with ease.

Heat Management: Domain controllers produce a lot of heat when they perform more computing duties, which calls for sophisticated thermal management solutions.

The Future of Domain Controllers

Domain controllers will play an increasingly important role as the automotive industry moves toward electrified and fully driverless vehicles.

Domain controller will likely be combined into centralized, high-performance computing systems that can handle several domains at once in the upcoming years.

By streamlining the architecture and enabling quicker development cycles, this approach will open the door for “vehicle computers” that manage almost all vehicle tasks. Advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS), AI-driven features, and connected automobile services will all be made possible by such centralized infrastructures.

Domain controllers are a crucial stage in the progression of the automotive industry toward complex E/E architectures. Domain controller contribute to the development of future automobiles by centralizing operations, increasing processing capacity, and facilitating a scalable platform.

Connect with us to learn more about domain controllers and explore our EV software services, including VCUs, CAN Keypads, CAN Displays, and more. For details, contact info@dorleco.com.

[timestechnow]

Renesas Electronics Corporation has announced a new automotive Intelligent #Power_Device (IPD). It will safely and flexibly control #power_distribution within vehicles. The device addresses the requirements of next-generation E/E (electrical/electronic) #architectures. The new RAJ2810024H12HPD is available in the small TO-252-7 package. Additionally, it reduces the mounting area by about 40% compared to the conventional TO-263 package product.