The automotive industry’s shift toward software-defined vehicles (SDV) and electrification is forcing a fundamental rethink of development processes, component specifications, and cross-industry collaboration. During a recent technical briefing, three engineers from TE Connectivity outlined how these changes are impacting everything from 30-year-old Stage-Gate processes to sensor latency requirements and the implementation of zonal architecture across both passenger vehicles and industrial equipment.
From Stage Gate to 18-month cycles
Traditional automotive development has relied on structured Stage-Gate processes designed to ensure quality at the first attempt. But new market entrants are challenging this approach with software-style agile development and dramatically compressed timelines. Chinese manufacturers now target 18-month platform development cycles compared to the traditional three to four years, according to Ruediger Ostermann, VP and CTO of TE’s automotive business unit.
“They’re developing cars in the same way software is developed — super agile, last-minute changes, deliver new parts tomorrow,” Ostermann explained. This creates tension between speed-to-market pressures and established quality assurance practices, including FMEAs and control plans.
The challenge extends beyond process adaptation. Component suppliers must now platform their designs and manufacturing lines for rapid conversion and faster product deployment. This requires looking beyond automotive to other business units that have experience with more dynamic development cycles.
Zonal architecture: beyond automotive
The transition to zonal architecture is a key enabler of software-defined vehicles, reshaping requirements across multiple transportation sectors. Instead of distributed electronic control units (ECUs) connected by complex wire harnesses, zonal architecture consolidates computing into regional controllers, fundamentally changing both electrical distribution and data management.
Lisa Miller, VP and CTO of TE’s industrial and commercial transportation division, noted that zonal architecture benefits extend to construction equipment, agricultural machinery, and commercial fleets. However, true zonal architecture requires ground-up replatforming. “Retrofits just aren’t going to be cost-effective except for really targeted rewiring,” Miller said. Legacy vehicles lack the backbone infrastructure for full STV functionality, making most retrofits partial at best.
The architectural shift impacts different components unevenly. While connectors adapt to new routing and consolidation requirements, wire harness manufacturers face more fundamental changes to their business models. The move toward higher automation in harness production and simplified point-to-point connections between zonal controllers represents a significant structural shift in the industry.
Sensor requirements in the EV era
Electrification introduces distinct sensor challenges that go well beyond traditional automotive requirements. Corneliu Tobescu, VP and CTO of TE’s Sensor business unit, outlined several critical areas where EV powertrains demand new capabilities:
Latency and Resolution: Electric motors can reach speeds of up to 30,000 RPM during acceleration, compared to 6,000-8,000 RPM for combustion engines. This demands E-motor position sensors that deliver accurate shaft position information in microseconds through digital interfaces. TE recently released a 4x higher resolution wheel speed sensors that provides highly accurate wheel speed, position down to 5 millimeters, and direction data, which is crucial for low-velocity advanced autonomous functions like motion path planning, auto valet and parallel parking, autonomous emergency braking (AEB), and enhanced hill assist that, is heavily reliant on a variety of sensors for optimal performance, safety and automation.
Thermal management: Battery systems require constant temperature monitoring to maximize range and longevity. TE’s liquid property sensors use multi-sensing capabilities with integrated algorithms to measure coolant characteristics in real-time, enabling battery packs to maintain optimal operating temperature. Multiple temperature and pressure sensors throughout the pack provide comprehensive thermal monitoring. These exact thermal management requirements apply to data centers, creating cross-industry opportunities for component manufacturers.
Functional safety and cybersecurity: As vehicles rely increasingly on sensor data for AI algorithms and real-time decision-making, both reliability and security become critical. Sensor data must be protected from external manipulation that could compromise vehicle functionality or safety systems.
New applications: The shift from hydraulic to electromechanical braking systems requires force sensors with high measurement accuracy and resolution. Position sensors are required not only for motors, but also for brake assist systems, pedal travel measurement, and steering applications, including automated parking.
Industrial transportation: different drivers, similar trends
While passenger vehicles focus on consumer features and efficiency, the adoption of industrial and commercial transportation hinges on total cost of ownership. Fleet economics drive decisions around fuel savings, maintenance reduction, and uptime rather than end-user preferences.
This creates distinct engineering priorities. Serviceability becomes paramount — connectors that can be installed and removed without tools, components rated for harsh environments, and designs that minimize field maintenance. “We call it conquering the harsh,” Miller noted, referring to TE’s approach for construction, agriculture, and commercial vehicle applications.
Despite these differences, the core technology trends remain consistent: electrification, autonomous capabilities, connectivity, and zonal architecture all apply across transportation segments. The implementation details and adoption timelines vary, but the fundamental engineering challenges converge.
Future outlook
Several constraints will shape near-term development. Battery size, range anxiety, thermal management, and infrastructure gaps remain practical barriers to faster EV adoption in commercial fleets. Megawatt charging systems for heavy-duty applications need to be safe, reliable, and scalable.
TE’s sensor roadmap includes next-generation E-motor position sensors, building on current designs that already handle microsecond response times at extreme rotational speeds. Development continues on liquid property sensors with expanded multi-sensing capabilities, humidity sensors for applications from air intake to fuel cells, and force, wheel speed, and position sensors for various braking and steering functions. In the longer term, inductive and magnetoresistive solutions may replace traditional resolver technology in motor position sensing applications.
The regulatory environment may accelerate or slow down adoption timelines, but the economics appear to be settled. As Ostermann puts it, electrification has “passed the point of no return.” The question is no longer whether these changes will happen, but how quickly component manufacturers can adapt their development processes and product portfolios to match 18-month cycle times while maintaining the reliability standards the industry demands.
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