https://www.popsci.com/technology/rivian-zonal-electrical-architecture/ Popular Science Logo Search for: [ ] * Science + Archaeology + Biology + Dinosaurs + Physics + Popular Science Videos + Space + The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week * Technology + AI + Aviation + Best of What's New + Engineering + Internet + Military + Robots + Security + Vehicles + Photography * Environment + Agriculture + Animals + Climate Change + Conservation + Energy + Sustainability + Weather * DIY + Life Skills + Projects + Tech Hacks * Gear + Audio + Cameras + Computers + Fitness Gear + Gaming + Gift Guides + Home + Home Theater + Outdoor Gear + Phones + Tablets + Wearables * More + Newsletter + Cover Art + Store + Podcasts + Video + Popsci+ * FIND US ON + Social o Facebook o Twitter o LinkedIn o Instagram o Pinterest o Youtube + Flipboard + Apple News+ + RSS Popular Science Logo Popular Science Logo * Science + Archaeology + Biology + Dinosaurs + Physics + Popular Science Videos + Space + The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week * Technology + AI + Aviation + Best of What's New + Engineering + Internet + Military + Robots + Security + Vehicles + Photography * Environment + Agriculture + Animals + Climate Change + Conservation + Energy + Sustainability + Weather * DIY + Life Skills + Projects + Tech Hacks * Gear + Audio + Cameras + Computers + Fitness Gear + Gaming + Gift Guides + Home + Home Theater + Outdoor Gear + Phones + Tablets + Wearables * MERCH + Cover Art + Store * Newsletter Search for: [ ] * * * * * Technology Vehicles Electric Vehicles How Rivian reduced electrical wiring by 1.6 miles and 44 pounds The EV maker reduces software and hardware complexity with zonal electrical architecture. By Kristin Shaw Posted on Aug 6, 2024 12:20 PM EDT 5 minute read an SUV rolls down an assembly line with people inspecting it Rivian's R1T was the brand's first vehicle, built in the company's Normal, Illinois plant. Image: Rivian Unveiled just a couple of months ago, Rivian's second-generation R1T pickup and R1S SUV will maintain their distinctive look, with playful headlamps and a sleek exterior shape. Underneath the surface is where the magic is taking place, specifically a wholly new electrical architecture the brand says is less costly and easier to service. Rivian senior vice president of electrical hardware Vidya Rajagopalan says the new electrical system offers more features, as well as an increase in sensing and computing capability. In the process of making the transition from Gen 1 to Gen 2 R1 vehicles, Rivian switched to a zonal architecture. Ultimately, that results in a more sustainable option. The zonal approach reduces the total wiring length by a whopping 1.6 miles and enables each R1 vehicle to shed 44 pounds. Weight is a big deal for EVs, as it has a direct correlation to battery performance. Plus, the company claims a 20 percent savings in material costs and 15 percent reduction in its carbon footprint between Gen 1 and Gen 2. All of it was developed in-house by Rivian's hardware and software team, an impressive feat. Software complexity is a big deal, and Rivian is finding ways to simplify and streamline its golden goose as a software-defined automaker. Zone versus domain-based architecture In basketball, kids learn one-to-one defense early on. Each player is assigned to a competitor, and they stick to that person like glue for effective coverage. Zone defense requires each player to guard an area (zone) and any offensive player within those parameters. It's a more elegant option, and one that requires more knowledge of the game. Using a zonal approach, Rivian is showing off its technological prowess. When Rivian engineers started building R1s, they designed a platform based on what's called domain-based architecture, Rajagopalan explains. With this setup, each category of software is paired with a piece of hardware. Every time you open a door, raise the cabin temperature, slide your seats, turn on the lights, change the mode, and more, you could be connecting to different hardware. Those electrical control units, or ECUs, can multiply like Gremlins after dark. x-ray-like image of SUV with ECU locations highlightedEach R1T and R1S is lighter in its second generation due to a vast reduction in electrical control units and wiring. Image: Rivian "We had 17 ECUs [in Gen 1], each dedicated to a category," Rajagopalan says. "Other manufacturers can have between 40-150 per vehicle, depending on how they work." Even though Rivian was using significantly fewer pieces of hardware than their competitors, they wanted to improve the system. More ECUs means more parts overall; consequently, that leads to increased opportunities for failure. For the second generation of vehicles, four categories get their own ECUs: infotainment, autonomy, vehicle access, drive units, and its battery management system. Every other vehicle function is controlled by just three ECUs Rivian refers to as West, East, and South. The infotainment ECU alone is as powerful as a laptop and has the capabilities of a smartphone. x-ray-like image of SUV with wiring locations highlightedSwitching from domain-based to zonal architecture allowed the company to reduce its complexity and improve scalability. Image: Rivian However, the ECU that runs the vehicle's autonomy platform is the most powerful computer in the R1S and R1T. The system includes an array of 11 internally developed cameras and five radars performing over 250 trillion operations per second, which Rivian says is an industry-leading statistic. As such, it connects to artificial intelligence, which helps identify and perceive the world in front of you to detect street signs, lanes, pedestrians, and more. Reducing parts improves scalability and reduces cost Fewer ECUs also results in less wiring, and another upshot of casting off ECUs is reduced weight. "If your ECUs control function by function, you'll have long wires running all over the car," Rajagopalan says. "When you switch to a zone mindset, it's more like a wheel-and-spoke function. Consolidation always wins; having fewer pieces reduces cost and makes manufacturing easier." It also makes room for scalability, something Rivian will need in order to grow. Rajagopalan was working for Tesla as a senior director of engineering before joining Rivian at the end of 2020. Now she manages 400+ people at Rivian and has witnessed the evolution of the company. She says when Rivian first launched the first generation of its R1T and R1S, buyers loved the adventure-focused brand and the vehicles' off-road capabilities. Since then, the automaker has proven it can ramp up its manufacturing capacity and make improvements. With a new joint venture with Volkswagen in progress, Rivian will have the opportunity to build a common platform on a much larger scale. To start, VW will invest $1 billion in Rivian and invest another $4 billion over time. In turn, VW will benefit from Rivian's software-defined vehicle expertise and maverick approach.Meanwhile, we'll be waiting for the smaller R2 and R3 to debut as Rivian ramps up. Kristin Shaw Avatar Kristin Shaw Contributing writer Kristin Shaw is a freelance writer specializing in anything with wheels, and calls on her technology background to explain complex concepts. Currently living in her sixth state (New Jersey, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Georgia, and now Texas), she does most of her work in coffee shops around Austin. * * Share * * * * Kristin Shaw Avatar Kristin Shaw Contributing writer Kristin Shaw is a freelance writer specializing in anything with wheels, and calls on her technology background to explain complex concepts. Currently living in her sixth state (New Jersey, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Georgia, and now Texas), she does most of her work in coffee shops around Austin. * * Latest in Electric Vehicles Ram 1500 Revolution Battery-electric Vehicle (BEV) Concept front three-quarters Technology Ram's vision for a three-row pickup truck could be closer to reality than you think Ram's vision for a three-row pickup truck could be closer to reality than you think By Kristin Shaw sky blue car parked in front of dirt and grass hill Technology The 2024 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is the EV that driving enthusiasts have been waiting for The 2024 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is the EV that driving enthusiasts have been waiting for By Bradley Iger More in Electric Vehicles green suv driving on a road in rain day Rivian vastly improves R1S SUV with version 2.0 Rivian vastly improves R1S SUV with version 2.0 By Dan Carney The Rivian R1S marries the box-it-came-in styling of the company's R1T pickup truck with the three-row SUV body style families need. Rivian R1S electric SUV review: A mixed bag for big bucks Rivian R1S electric SUV review: A mixed bag for big bucks By Dan Carney a green-blue hatchback car on a stage in front of the words "Adventurous Forever" Rivian's updated R2 electric SUV gets a retro-inspired crossover sibling Rivian's updated R2 electric SUV gets a retro-inspired crossover sibling By Kristin Shaw blue SUV drives on a road in from of a rocky hill Maserati Grecale Folgore first drive: A luxury electric SUV that was worth the wait Maserati Grecale Folgore first drive: A luxury electric SUV that was worth the wait By Dan Carney How Rivian's off-roading electric vehicles get their supercar-like feel How Rivian's off-roading electric vehicles get their supercar-like feel How Rivian's off-roading electric vehicles get their supercar-like feel By Kristin Shaw two electric bikes on a rural road I really wanted to love the LiveWire S2 Del Mar I really wanted to love the LiveWire S2 Del Mar By Dan Carney Tesla Cybertruck concept art in warehouse Elon Musk says 'we dug our own grave with Cybertruck' ahead of its November release Elon Musk says 'we dug our own grave with Cybertruck' ahead of its November release By Andrew Paul Lines at Tesla EV chargers are about to get longer Lines at Tesla EV chargers are about to get longer Lines at Tesla EV chargers are about to get longer By Kristin Shaw SEE MORE More in Vehicles a Ford Mach-E electric car parked in front of the woods in autumn How do electric cars work? By harnessing the magic of magnetism. How do electric cars work? By harnessing the magic of magnetism. By Rob Verger Ram's electric pickup concept will be revealed in less than a month Ram's electric pickup concept will be revealed in less than a month Ram's electric pickup concept will be revealed in less than a month By Kristin Shaw The Rivian R1T breaks the electric-pickup game wide open The Rivian R1T breaks the electric-pickup game wide open The Rivian R1T breaks the electric-pickup game wide open By Dan Carney an electric pickup truck These powerful new electric pickups are about to shock the market These powerful new electric pickups are about to shock the market By Rob Stumpf Rivian's new electric pickup offers a magic sliding camp kitchen Rivian's new electric pickup offers a magic sliding camp kitchen Rivian's new electric pickup offers a magic sliding camp kitchen By Rob Stumpf Ford's electric Lightning still drives like an F-150 truck, but better Ford's electric Lightning still drives like an F-150 truck, but better Ford's electric Lightning still drives like an F-150 truck, but better By Dan Carney A concept vehicle from Waymo Check out Waymo's new electric, self-driving taxi design Check out Waymo's new electric, self-driving taxi design By Rob Verger Chevy's next Silverado will further charge up the electric pickup race Chevy's next Silverado will further charge up the electric pickup race Chevy's next Silverado will further charge up the electric pickup race By Rob Stumpf SEE MORE More in Technology An electrified car isn't the same thing as an electric one. Here's the difference. An electrified car isn't the same thing as an electric one. Here's the difference. An electrified car isn't the same thing as an electric one. Here's the difference. By Bradley Brownell Amazon rivian electric delivery truck. Amazon's futuristic electric delivery vans will hit the road in 2021 Amazon's futuristic electric delivery vans will hit the road in 2021 By Stan Horaczek The Sebring-Vanguard Electric vehicles have come a long way since the 1890s Electric vehicles have come a long way since the 1890s By Sara Kiley Watson The 100 greatest innovations of 2021 The 100 greatest innovations of 2021 The 100 greatest innovations of 2021 By Popular Science Team Cybertruck Tesla's Cybertruck is the latest lofty promise in the world of electric pickups Tesla's Cybertruck is the latest lofty promise in the world of electric pickups By Stan Horaczek a large SUV parked in front of a colonial-style building. palm trees in the background 2024 GMC Acadia's new engine is smaller, but more powerful 2024 GMC Acadia's new engine is smaller, but more powerful By Kristin Shaw retro TV against plain blue wall in empty room How long do TVs last? When and why you should replace your set. How long do TVs last? When and why you should replace your set. By Nicholas Ware California Forever concept art of utopian cityscape California's billionaire utopia faces a major setback California's billionaire utopia faces a major setback By Andrew Paul SEE MORE [popsci_logo-horizontal-white] Like science, tech, and DIY projects? Sign up to receive Popular Science's emails and get the highlights. LET'S GO * Science + Archaeology + Biology + Dinosaurs + Physics + Popular Science Videos + Space + The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week * Technology + AI + Aviation + Best of What's New + Engineering + Internet + Military + Robots + Security + Photography * Environment + Agriculture + Animals + Climate Change + Conservation + Energy + Sustainability + Weather * DIY + Life Skills + Projects + Tech Hacks * Gear + Audio + Cameras + Computers + Fitness Gear + Gaming + Gift Guides + Home + Home Theater + Outdoor Gear + Phones + Tablets + Wearables * More + Editorial Standards + How We Test And Review Products + About Us + PopSci Merch + PopSci Shop + PopSci+ + Privacy Policy + Terms & Conditions + Affiliate Disclosure + Sitemap + DepositPhotos FOLLOW US * * * * * --------------------------------------------------------------------- DISCLAIMER(S) Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. (c) 2024 Recurrent. All rights reserved.