Scalable i/o controller for distributed vehicle control system

An I/O controller for a control system in a vehicle, comprising:

• a main circuit board;
• an enclosure containing the main circuit board;
• 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,
• wherein the main circuit board is configured to physically and electrically receive one of a plurality of different processors each having different performance characteristics, and
• wherein the I/O controller is configured for functional communication with a remote electronic control unit via a controller network interconnection.

An I/O controller for a control system in a vehicle, comprising:

• a main circuit board;
• and
• an enclosure containing the main circuit board,
• wherein the main circuit board includes a plurality of footprints each configured to receive one or more hardware components to define 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,
• wherein the I/O controller is operable with at least one of the footprints populated with hardware components, and wherein the at least one of the footprints populated with hardware components is fewer than all of the footprints, thereby providing the I/O controller with a given number of I/O channels that is fewer than a number of I/O channels corresponding to all of the footprints being populated, and
• wherein the I/O controller is configured for functional communication with a remote electronic control unit via a controller network interconnection.