Zone controllers expand vehicle networking capability

Adoption of zone ECUs is leading to a new market for tier 1 and tier 2 suppliers. Adoption of these zone controllers started with Tesla as far back as 2017, and will begin to significantly grow in 2025, a watershed year beyond which wide adoption drives the market beyond 60 million units in 2030 — a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 54%.

In vehicle electrical and electronic (E/E) architecture, a zone controller is a type of electronic control unit (ECU) that is responsible for managing and coordinating the various subsystems within a particular area, or "zone," of the vehicle. The zone controller acts as an intermediary between these subsystems and the main vehicle network, facilitating communication and ensuring that the subsystems are working together in a coordinated and efficient manner.