High-Performance Computing for Software-Defined EV Powertrains: Design and Real-Time Validation with NXP S32G3 Domain Controller

Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs) are changing the automotive landscape by separating hardware from software and enabling features like over-the-air updates, advanced control strategies, and real-time decision-making. To support this transformation, EV powertrain systems require high-performance computing (HPC) platforms capable of real-time control, data processing, and cross-domain communication. This paper introduces a fully SDV-compatible EV powertrain architecture designed with NXP S32G3 domain controller. This processor supports multiple core having lockstep. It is designed for zonal control and automotive functional safety. The proposed designed uses the automotive Ethernet as an alternate option for CAN based communication to fulfill the bandwidth and timing requirement of today’s SDV applications. Hence it allows gigabit data transfer, Time Sensitive Networking (TSN) and also provides low latency across SDV control domain. Through secure real time interface with the vehicle’s software stack, this work describes how the software defined vehicles can be charged in emergency situations using mobile charging units, over-the-air (OTA) software updates. To confirm the vehicle operation and power restoration in emergency, these emergency energy solutions are merged with the system architecture and controlled by domain controller. The customized hardware HPC board is designed with NXP processor and integrated with vehicle control unit (VCU). The quick control response and smooth data synchronization between powertrain and charging modules have all been showcased by the experimental result of the deployment and validation of the suggested architecture in a real time vehicle environment. This work establishes domain controlled based HPC as a reference architecture for next generation SDV’s.