Abstract: An electrical control system for a vehicle includes: a plurality of zone controllers each associated with a corresponding physical region of the vehicle, and each having an identical hardware configuration; a high-speed digital communications network interconnecting the plurality of zone controllers; and a plurality of I/O controllers, or sub-zonal or edge controllers, each including a processor and at least one of: an input circuit configured to receive a digital or analog signal from a sensor device, or an output circuit configured to produce and transmit a digital or analog signal to an output device. The plurality of I/O controllers each have a commonized configuration, including an identical enclosure and an identical main circuit board. Different I/O controllers of the plurality of I/O controllers have at least one of: processors having different performance characteristics, or the input circuit or the output circuit having different arrangements of hardware components.

Abstract: A user detection system and method a motor vehicle that has a closure panel for facilitating access to the motor vehicle by a user of the motor vehicle are provided. The system includes a hardware token associated with and carried by the user to provide an authorization to access the motor vehicle. The system additionally includes at least two proximity sensors configured to detect the hardware token in proximity to the motor vehicle. The system also includes a controller connected to the at least two proximity sensors and configured to determine a location of the user relative to the motor vehicle using the at least two proximity sensors. The controller grants or rejects access to the motor vehicle via the at least one closure panel based on the authorization and the location of the user relative to the motor vehicle.