Complete solution that integrates both hardware and software components including a TSN-capable Ethernet switch, a Root of Trust security module, and a transport protocol encapsulation system based on IEEE 1722
A Zonal Controller is a critical network node within a Time-Sensitive Network (TSN), designed to support the zonal architecture approach in next-generation Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs). This architecture facilitates efficient in-vehicle data distribution while reducing wiring complexity, cost, and weight, thereby streamlining vehicle design and manufacturing. Acting as a central element in this architecture, the Zonal Controller connects a multitude of sensors and actuators to the central compute ECU over a TSN-based Ethernet backbone. It plays an essential role in delivering real-time, reliable, and scalable communication necessary for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), autonomous driving functions, and electrified powertrain systems.
The vendor provides a versatile portfolio of Zonal Controller IPs that are designed to meet various performance levels and support different TSN features, making them suitable for a wide range of automotive applications.
The Zonal Controller IP is a complete solution that integrates both hardware and software components. It includes a TSN-capable Ethernet switch, a Root of Trust security module, and a transport protocol encapsulation system based on IEEE 1722 for handling audio, video, and legacy serial communications.
The solution connects easily to embedded processor systems through an AXI Memory-Mapped interface for Ethernet frame exchange, and an AXI4-Lite interface for management and configuration tasks.
Technical Specifications
The Ethernet switch integrated in the Zonal Controller IP supports up to sixteen physical Ethernet ports operating at 10M, 100M, 1G or 2.5G, and two additional ports operating at 10 Gbps. These ports interface with Ethernet PHY devices through standard interfaces such as MII, RMII, GMII, RGMII, SGMII, USXGMII, or XFI. The solution supports Single Pair Ethernet (SPE) standards like 10BASE-T1S, 10BASE-T1L, 100/1000BASE-T1, and 2.5G/5G/10GBASE-T1, as well as traditional electrical and optical Ethernet standards. A built-in MDIO controller enables management and configuration of the connected PHY devices.
For time-sensitive applications, the Ethernet switch incorporates several TSN mechanisms including Time Aware Shaping (TAS), Credit Based Shaping (CBS), and Asynchronous Traffic Shaping (ATS) to ensure deterministic and low-latency data delivery.
The switch also supports preemptive Media Access Control (MAC) functionality, which allows higher-priority frames to interrupt the transmission of lower-priority traffic, minimizing delay for time-critical communications.
Reliability features include support for frame replication and elimination as defined by IEEE 802.1CB. This allows the system to transmit critical data over redundant paths, ensuring uninterrupted communication even in the event of a single network fault.
The switch also implements per-stream filtering and policing based on IEEE 802.1Qci, guaranteeing that each data stream behaves as expected with respect to rate, timing, and integrity.
VLAN management and packet forwarding adhere to IEEE 802.1Q, supporting up to eight unique traffic classes for Quality of Service (QoS) differentiation.
An optional MACsec engine provides Layer 2 Ethernet security, enabling port authentication, encryption, and integrity checking in compliance with IEEE 802.1AE. This feature allows configuration of multiple Security Entities (SecYs) per port, supporting different traffic types securely.
The Zonal Controller IP also supports precise timing and synchronization using IEEE 802.1AS and its amendment IEEE 802.1ASds, which is essential for half-duplex operation. A built-in wall clock and phase adjustment mechanism reduce CPU load by minimizing the need for software-based synchronization adjustments.
Acting as a gateway, the Zonal Controller can bridge audio, video, and legacy serial communications with the in-vehicle Ethernet backbone.
Audio devices can connect via a standard 3-wire I2S interface, with data encapsulated into Ethernet frames per IEEE 1722.
Camera sensors may be connected directly using MIPI Alliance Camera Serial Interface 2 (CSI-2) or indirectly using SERDES technologies such as ASA Motion Link, V³Link™, or FPD-Link III. These video streams are also transported via the IEEE 1722 encapsulation system.
Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) or Inter Integrated Circuit (I2C) interfaces allow direct connection of various sensors and actuators, and their data is mapped to and from Ethernet fames by the Zonal Controller’s IEEE 1722 Transport Protocol Encapsulation system.
Additionally, the Zonal Controller supports integration with automotive-specific protocols including Controller Area Network (CAN) bus, Local Interconnect Network (LIN) bus, Intelligent Smart Embedded LED (ISELED) and ISELED Light and Sensor (ILAS).
Security is enforced through the integrated Root of Trust module, which ensures a secure boot process by validating software before execution. This module also handles secure storage, key generation, and cryptographic random number generation, supporting secure communication features such as MACsec. It is designed with tamper resistance and restricts access to sensitive operations during runtime.
