This article presents a comprehensive, original synthesis and theoretical expansion of contemporary developments in automotive electrical/electronic (E/E) architectures, with a special focus on zonal topologies, time-sensitive networking (TSN), service-oriented architectures (SOA), and fault-tolerant lockstep processors for safety-critical controllers. The work builds strictly on the references provided, integrating evidence from industry technical papers, conference proceedings, and journal articles to propose an extended conceptual framework that reconciles real-time determinism, cybersecurity, and functional safety within evolving centralized-to-zonal migration strategies. Methodologically, the paper undertakes a structured conceptual analysis that triangulates (1) TSN configuration and management techniques (Chahed & Kassler, 2021; Hackel et al., 2022), (2) SOA/OPC UA integration with AUTOSAR Adaptive (Arestova et al., 2021; Villanueva et al., 2021), (3) drivetrain and advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) control under network-induced delays (Cao et al., 2019; 2021; 2022; 2023), and (4) hardware redundancy strategies exemplified by dual-core lockstep designs (Abdul Salam Abdul Karim, 2023). The Results section elaborates an enriched architecture blueprint that balances QoS predictability, deterministic latency, and modular service interfaces, and delineates tradeoffs among centralization, zonalization, and gateway optimization (Bandur et al., 2021; Sander et al., 2011). In Discussion we examine theoretical implications, limitations, and propose a prioritized research and validation agenda to move from conceptual design toward industrial validation. The Conclusion summarizes the principal contributions and enumerates concrete next steps for researchers and practitioners seeking to implement resilient, TSN-aware zonal E/E systems for next-generation autonomous and electrified vehicles

Zonal E/E architectures, time-sensitive networking, service-oriented architecture, ault-tolerant lockstep

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