Redundant automotive ethernet

A method for communicating in a vehicular communication system that includes i) a plurality of vehicle subsystem assemblies, ii) a first Ethernet switch communicatively coupled to respective first Ethernet network interfaces of the plurality of vehicle subsystem assemblies, iii) a second Ethernet switch communicatively coupled to respective second Ethernet network interfaces of the plurality of vehicle subsystem assemblies, and iv) a network controller, the method comprising:

• for each vehicle subsystem assembly, determine, by the network controller, whether the vehicle subsystem assembly is authorized to be included in the vehicular communication system wherein determining whether the vehicle subsystem assembly is authorized to be included in the vehicular communication system includes determining whether a media access control (MAC) address of the vehicle subsystem assembly is a locally administered address that is authorized for the vehicular communication system;
• for each vehicle subsystem assembly, in response to determining that the vehicle subsystem assembly is not authorized to be included in the vehicular communication system, controlling, by the network controller, the first Ethernet switch and the second Ethernet switch to block Ethernet traffic corresponding to the vehicle subsystem assembly that is not authorized to be included in the vehicular communication system;
• for each vehicle subsystem assembly, in response to determining that the vehicle subsystem assembly is authorized to be included in the vehicular communication system, controlling, by the network controller, the first Ethernet switch and the second Ethernet switch to permit Ethernet traffic corresponding to the vehicle subsystem assembly is authorized to be included in the vehicular communication system;
• providing, by the first Ethernet switch, a first Ethernet network that includes a plurality of vehicle subsystem assemblies that are authorized to be included in the vehicular communication system;
• and
• providing, by the second Ethernet switch, a second Ethernet network that includes the plurality of vehicle subsystem assemblies that are authorized to be included in the vehicular communication system.