ConvIO: A Framework for Convergence of Inputs and Outputs in Automotive Zonal E/E Architectures
Lucas Mauser, H. Patil, Lucila Patiño Studencki, Stefan Wagner · IEEE Access · 2026
The length and weight of the low-voltage (LV) wiring harnesses in modern vehicles have increased substantially, adding mass and cost, reducing efficiency, and introducing complexity into design, manufacturing, and maintenance. This challenge is particularly critical in the cost-sensitive commercial vehicle sector, where total cost of ownership is a decisive factor. The software-defined vehicle (SDV) paradigm, which separates computing from sensing and acting, enables centralized, zonal electrical/electronic (E/E) architectures that can reduce wiring complexity. Such architectures comprise a central high-performance computer (HPC) as the primary processing hub, complemented by zonal aggregators that consolidate the numerous sensors and actuators (I/Os) distributed across the vehicle. This paper presents ConvIO, a framework for the zonal convergence of I/Os within zonal E/E architectures. ConvIO uses a five-step process to determine the optimal number and placement of zones, as well as the routing between I/O devices, zonal aggregators, and the HPC. A rapid literature review and expert talks ensure alignment with academic insights and industrial requirements. Validation using I/O data derived from a battery electric vehicle model demonstrates substantial reductions in combined cable length compared to a domain-oriented E/E architecture, with relative savings of 69.9 %, 69.3 %, and 68.7 % for bus, redundant-bus, and star-ring communication topologies, respectively. In conclusion, ConvIO provides a systematic, metrics-driven methodology for evaluating existing wiring layouts and designing next-generation vehicle architectures.