Abstract: A control system for a vehicle provides for the control of electrically differentiated loads utilizing a local controller, the functionality of which depends upon a programmed central control unit. A first serial data link connects a plurality of autonomous local controllers of fixed functionality to the central control unit. A second serial data link links at least a first dependent controller to electrical system controller. The electrical system controller provides for controlling multiplexing of signals on the first and second serial data links. Memory provides both protected and nonprotected sections, with the protected sections providing storage for configuration data structures residing in memory and the data structures providing functional definitions for the first dependent controller.