Tesla's three-zone controller (Zonal) configuration

Let's take a hard look at Tesla's region controllers in the Model 3 to Model Y — iterative from the first generation to the third generation.

From a compatibility point of view, these three controllers have been maintaining forward compatibility on the interface, but the internal function distribution is indeed iterating.

From my visual observation, the main changes are as follows:

●The three controllers completely distribute the three functions of body, thermal management and ultrasonic assistance from the function

● The three controllers also bridge the steering (steering tube station) and part of the function of parking

● The three controllers have eliminated all the relays through the E-fuse method, and realized the power distribution design of all controllers

● Covers all communications, and effectively transmits all CAN and LIN communications to the central controller

Figure 1. Three zone controllers

I'm also interested in the fact that Tesla has redefined the connectors for all three controllers, reducing costs by making its own connectors. In fact, we see that in the BMS, inverter connectors, charge controllers, these self-made controllers, on the connectors are doing this.

Figure 2. This Zonal controller gives a large number of pin connectors to the board side (public terminal customization)

Part 1 feature assignment

I carefully compared, the three controllers have communication and power distribution two basic Zial functions (in other car companies, like to use Ethernet to do this thing, the difference is that Tesla's communication network nodes are actually not many, have been merged); and then a large number of functions were merged - I broke down, mainly body control, thermal management, accessories, parking and seat control functions.

As a comparison, generally speaking, if these three Zonal are done by other car companies, they will generally be divided into door modules, integrated body controllers, seat controllers, thermal management controllers HVAC and front-end cooling controllers Theraml Unit and parking controllers, there are so many lighting controls, and the interior lights may be done separately from a controller.

From the perspective of the control structure, the three area controllers can be distributed to do, and can also do some top-level applications on the information main system to achieve the control of a system.

Figure 3. The architecture of the zone controller

The left body OfTe BCM module has 9 connectors, and its functions I have sorted out according to the previous work of the winter melon:

Figure 4. Left body Zonal controller functions and pins

The right body Right BCM also has 9 connectors, and the function is shown in the figure.

Figure 5. Right body Zonal controller functions and pins

This front controller also contains 6 connectors, mainly to bring in all the things that need to be controlled in the front, and then decompose the 12V power supply to each required appliance. Since this component is designed to a 12V distribution system and is configured in the front cabin, a very strong structural design is made, and the all-metal design is also convenient for passive heat dissipation in the power distribution system.

Figure 6. Some of the functions of the front body controller, I mainly listed communications, power distribution and thermal management

Here, I have roughly listed the overall system control of thermal management, and we have also seen the complex heat pump mode function, which I want to do in the top-level software system, and then distribute the logic to four modules, so that a single controller can do a Co-pilot function. This enables a very innovative design, Tesla not only in the overall functional principles to achieve the design, and then let different thermal management vendors to do the integration, the entire software and system, can achieve autonomous control.

Figure 7. The main component of Tesla's thermal management system

Iteration of the Part 2 controller

In the video of Monroe's grandfather, we see the change from Gen1 to Gen3, one is the difference between the front panel:

● Both MCUs have been iterated

Previously Tesla used SPC56EC74 and SPC560C50L, and from the current information, the two main processing MCUs have been upgraded.

● Input connector for 12V power supply

We've seen several controllers change the 12V from the screwed way to blade's insert mode

On the flip side, Tesla has strengthened the entire large shell:

●Therefore, the change from single-sided to double-sided cloth board increases the overall use efficiency, which is also the key to further increasing the function and addition of the subsequent board

Figure 8. Board iteration of LBCM

● There is also a reverse side to add a lot of drivers and units, which is equivalent to adding a lot of functions in the original single-panel, and then realizing the function increase, anyway, the needs are added.

Figure 9. The reverse side of LBCM

Summary: Want to be Tesla's electronics supplier, in addition to OEM is really difficult, from the overall cost decomposition point of view, with the growth of software and system integration capabilities, Tesla in many areas is fast more than the original tier1 accumulation, this thing is other OEMs are very uncomfortable place.