Schaeffler develops centralised E/E architecture for SDVs

Schaeffler has outlined its software-defined vehicle (SDV) and electrical/electronic (E/E) architecture development ahead of the 13th Schaeffler Automotive Symposium, scheduled for June 2026 in Bühl. The supplier is presenting its Vehicle Control technology cluster as a central element of its approach to SDV development, focusing on centralised architectures that reduce control unit counts and shorten development timelines across vehicle generations.

The Vehicle Control cluster covers sensors and actuators, low and high voltage electrical systems, drive systems, edge electronic control units and zone control devices. Schaeffler is developing E/E architectures built around a multi-domain controller, using Ethernet-based data channels and the Remote Control Protocol to reduce decentralised control units and lower system complexity. The company says the approach enables hardware migration across vehicle generations and supports scalable deployment across vehicle classes.

Additional solutions under development include 48-volt systems, power electronics and safety-critical components such as steer-by-wire, designed with redundancy for reliability in SDV applications.

The symposium, held every four years, will also present innovations across three further clusters: Chassis & Body, Powertrain, and Energy Management, covering passenger cars, commercial vehicles and two-wheelers.

“For a software-defined vehicle to be able to unleash its potential, it needs a centralised, robust and intelligent E/E architecture,” said Thomas Stierle, Chief Executive of E-Mobility at Schaeffler AG. “We combine modern vehicle electrical systems with powerful electronics to create systems that are reliable, future-proof, and scalable across all vehicle classes.”

Source: Schaeffler