OpenECU NX3 Wins 2026 AutoTech Breakthrough Award
New Eagle, a provider of embedded control systems for intelligent vehicles and machines, has announced that its OpenECU NX3 platform has been named “Battery Charging Technology Solution of the Year” in the seventh annual AutoTech Breakthrough Awards program. The recognition highlights the platform’s approach to simplifying electric vehicle charging architectures as automakers and commercial vehicle manufacturers prepare for increasingly powerful charging technologies.
The AutoTech Breakthrough Awards recognize companies, products and technologies contributing to innovation across the global automotive and transportation technology industries. New Eagle’s selection reflects the growing importance of integrated electronic control systems as the electric vehicle market advances toward higher charging power, more sophisticated vehicle architectures and more demanding system integration requirements.
The OpenECU NX3 is designed to address these challenges by combining multiple charging and vehicle control functions into a single electronic control unit (ECU). By integrating Combined Charging System (CCS) support, Megawatt Charging System (MCS) capabilities and full vehicle supervisory control, the platform offers original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) an alternative to architectures that rely on several separate controllers.
OpenECU NX3 Addresses the Growing Complexity of EV Charging
The expansion of electric mobility is creating new demands for vehicle charging infrastructure and onboard electronic systems. While conventional charging solutions remain important for passenger cars and commercial vehicles, the development of megawatt-level charging is expected to support applications requiring substantially higher power delivery.
Heavy-duty electric trucks and other large electric vehicles are among the applications that can benefit from faster charging technologies. These vehicles may operate on demanding schedules, making charging time, system reliability and efficient energy management important considerations for manufacturers and fleet operators.
As charging power increases, automakers must coordinate additional hardware, software, communication interfaces and safety functions. Traditional vehicle architectures may require separate controllers for CCS charging, MCS charging and vehicle supervisory control. Each additional controller can introduce integration requirements involving wiring, communication, diagnostics, software development and system validation.
New Eagle developed the OpenECU NX3 to help reduce this complexity. By bringing the three functions together in a single production-ready ECU, the platform can reduce the number of controllers required in certain vehicle architectures by up to 67%, according to the company.
Reducing controller count can help manufacturers simplify vehicle electrical and electronic architectures. It may also reduce the number of individual components that engineers must integrate and validate during vehicle development.
For OEMs developing next-generation electric vehicles, this consolidated approach can provide greater flexibility when designing charging systems and coordinating vehicle-level operations.
Combining CCS, MCS and Vehicle Supervisory Control
A central feature of the OpenECU NX3 is its ability to combine CCS, MCS and vehicle supervisory control within one platform.
The Combined Charging System is an established charging approach used by electric vehicles and charging infrastructure. It supports communication between the vehicle and charging equipment, helping coordinate charging operations and relevant system requirements.
The Megawatt Charging System is designed for high-power charging applications, particularly those involving heavy-duty electric vehicles. As commercial transportation moves toward electrification, higher-power charging solutions are becoming increasingly important for applications where vehicles must return to service quickly.
Vehicle supervisory control coordinates vehicle-level functions and manages interactions among different subsystems. Depending on the vehicle architecture, these systems may need to communicate with battery management, thermal management, driveline and other electronic systems.
Combining these functions within the OpenECU NX3 gives OEMs an opportunity to develop a more integrated charging and control architecture. Instead of managing separate controllers for each function, manufacturers can consolidate important operations within one ECU.
This integration can help reduce hardware complexity and simplify communication among charging and vehicle control systems. It can also provide a more unified environment for software development, calibration, testing and deployment.
The approach is particularly relevant as electric vehicle manufacturers develop platforms intended to accommodate multiple charging standards and evolving power requirements.
Reducing Hardware, Wiring and Integration Requirements
The increasing number of electronic control units in modern vehicles can create challenges for vehicle manufacturers. Each controller may require dedicated hardware, wiring connections, software interfaces and diagnostic procedures.
When several controllers perform related functions, engineering teams must ensure that the systems communicate correctly and respond consistently under different operating conditions. These requirements can increase development effort and create additional work during vehicle validation.
New Eagle states that the OpenECU NX3 can reduce controller count by up to 67% in architectures that would otherwise use separate CCS, MCS and supervisory controllers.
Consolidation can offer several potential advantages.
First, fewer controllers can simplify the vehicle’s electrical and electronic architecture. Engineers may have fewer individual devices and interfaces to accommodate when designing the charging system.
Second, a consolidated architecture can reduce wiring complexity. Fewer separate control units may mean fewer interconnections, depending on the vehicle’s final configuration.
Third, integrating functions within a single platform can simplify software coordination. Developers can work within a unified control environment rather than managing separate software deployments across multiple charging and supervisory controllers.
Finally, a more integrated design can support diagnostics and validation activities by providing a common platform for related functions.
The actual benefits will depend on each manufacturer’s vehicle architecture, component selection and implementation requirements. Nevertheless, controller consolidation offers a potential path toward reducing engineering complexity as charging systems become more advanced.
Integration With the Raptor Software Ecosystem
The OpenECU NX3 is built on New Eagle’s OpenECU hardware platform and integrated with the company’s Raptor software ecosystem.
This combination is intended to provide OEMs with a unified development path from initial engineering through production deployment. Rather than treating hardware development and application software as separate activities, manufacturers can develop and validate control applications within an integrated environment.
The platform supports both model-based design and C-code development, giving engineering teams flexibility in how they create application software.
Model-based design allows developers to represent control logic through models that can be simulated, tested and refined during development. This approach can help engineers evaluate system behavior before deploying software to production hardware.
C-code development provides another route for teams that prefer to develop or integrate software using the C programming language. Supporting both approaches allows manufacturers to align software development with their existing engineering processes and technical requirements.
Calibration and validation are also important elements of vehicle control development. Engineers must ensure that the software performs as intended under relevant operating conditions and works correctly with connected vehicle systems.
By providing a consistent development environment, the NX3 platform aims to help OEMs manage these activities more efficiently. A unified workflow can be particularly valuable when charging systems involve several communication protocols, operating modes and vehicle-level control requirements.
The integration with the Raptor ecosystem also gives customers a development path that extends beyond initial prototyping and toward production implementation.
Supporting Charging Standards and Vehicle Communication
Compatibility with established charging standards and communication interfaces is another important aspect of the OpenECU NX3.
The platform supports DIN 70121, ISO 15118-2 and ISO 15118-20. These standards are relevant to communication between electric vehicles and charging infrastructure and help define how charging-related information is exchanged.
Support for multiple standards can be important for manufacturers developing vehicles intended to operate across different charging environments. It can also help engineering teams address the requirements of evolving charging technologies while maintaining compatibility with applicable vehicle and infrastructure systems.
In addition to charging communication standards, the NX3 supports CAN-FD, LIN and SENT interfaces.
CAN-FD, or Controller Area Network Flexible Data-Rate, is used in automotive electronic systems where communication requirements may exceed those supported by conventional CAN implementations. It can support the exchange of larger data payloads at higher data rates during the data phase.
LIN, or Local Interconnect Network, is commonly used for communication with lower-complexity automotive components and subsystems.
SENT, or Single Edge Nibble Transmission, is an interface used to transmit sensor information in automotive applications.
These interfaces help the NX3 integrate with other vehicle systems, including battery management, thermal management and driveline controls.
Such integration is important because charging does not operate independently of the rest of an electric vehicle. Battery conditions, thermal requirements, power limits and vehicle operating states can influence charging behavior. Coordinating these functions requires reliable communication among relevant electronic systems.
By supporting multiple interfaces and charging standards, the NX3 is designed to accommodate different vehicle configurations and integration needs.
Functional Safety and Cybersecurity Considerations
As vehicle electronic systems become more integrated, functional safety and cybersecurity remain critical engineering priorities.
The OpenECU NX3 is engineered to support ASIL-D functional safety objectives and ISO 21434 cybersecurity requirements, according to New Eagle.
Automotive Safety Integrity Level D, commonly referred to as ASIL-D, represents the highest integrity level defined within the ISO 26262 functional safety framework. It applies to safety-related automotive systems when the hazard analysis and risk assessment establish that level of rigor as necessary.
Engineering a platform to support ASIL-D objectives can help manufacturers address demanding safety requirements. However, the final safety case depends on the complete system architecture, the implemented application software, the development process and the evidence produced during assessment and validation.
ISO/SAE 21434 provides a framework for managing cybersecurity risks in road vehicles throughout the relevant engineering lifecycle. As vehicles increasingly rely on software, networked systems and external infrastructure, cybersecurity has become an essential consideration for connected vehicle technologies.
Charging systems involve communication between the vehicle and external charging equipment. Manufacturers therefore need to consider potential cybersecurity risks, system interfaces and the protection of relevant vehicle functions.
New Eagle’s stated design objectives position the NX3 to support OEMs working within these safety and cybersecurity frameworks. Manufacturers must still ensure that their complete vehicle systems meet the applicable requirements for their intended markets and use cases.
Flexible Architecture for Different Charging Applications
The OpenECU NX3 is designed with a flexible architecture that can support charging box applications or standalone charging implementations.
This flexibility gives OEMs options when determining how charging functions should be distributed across their vehicle systems. Some manufacturers may prefer an integrated charging box architecture, while others may require a standalone implementation to align with their existing electrical and electronic designs.
The ability to accommodate different configurations can be valuable for manufacturers serving multiple vehicle segments or developing platforms with varying charging requirements.
Commercial vehicles, heavy-duty trucks and other electric mobility applications may have different operating conditions, packaging constraints and system integration priorities. A flexible ECU architecture can help engineering teams adapt the implementation to the requirements of a particular vehicle.
It can also support product development strategies in which manufacturers seek to reuse elements of a control platform across multiple models or applications, subject to the relevant technical and validation requirements.
By bringing charging and supervisory control functions together while retaining architectural flexibility, New Eagle aims to provide OEMs with a platform that can accommodate a range of production requirements.
New Eagle Highlights the Value of Integrated Control Systems
Commenting on the recognition, Kevin Alley, chief commercial officer at New Eagle, emphasized the need to prevent increasing charging power from creating unnecessary complexity within vehicle architectures.
Alley explained that the NX3 brings CCS, megawatt charging and vehicle supervisory control together in one production-ready platform. The objective is to provide customers with a simpler architecture and a faster route toward deployment.
The company’s approach reflects a broader challenge facing electric vehicle developers. As charging systems evolve, manufacturers must balance higher performance requirements with the practical demands of hardware integration, software development, safety validation and production readiness.
An integrated ECU can help address some of these challenges by reducing the number of separate controllers involved in the system. It can also provide a common development environment for functions that must work together during charging and vehicle operation.
For OEMs, the potential value extends beyond hardware consolidation. A more unified control platform can influence engineering workflows, software maintenance and the process of validating interactions among charging and vehicle systems.
The extent of these benefits will depend on the implementation, but the underlying objective is to make advanced charging architectures easier to develop and deploy.
Second Consecutive AutoTech Breakthrough Awards Recognition
The 2026 award marks the second consecutive year that New Eagle has been named a winner in the AutoTech Breakthrough Awards program.
The annual program recognizes companies and technologies contributing to innovation across automotive and transportation markets. Its coverage includes developments in vehicle technology, mobility systems and related solutions.
Bryan Vaughn, managing director of AutoTech Breakthrough, highlighted the challenges associated with conventional charging architectures as OEMs move toward megawatt charging.
According to Vaughn, using separate charging and supervisory controllers can introduce additional complexity. He noted that New Eagle’s approach of consolidating functions into a scalable ECU addresses this challenge by simplifying the vehicle control architecture.
The recognition underscores the industry’s interest in technologies that can support more powerful charging systems without unnecessarily increasing the number of electronic components and integration tasks required.
For New Eagle, the consecutive awards provide recognition for its continued work in embedded control technology and its application to next-generation vehicle systems.
The transition toward higher-power charging is expected to influence the development of electric commercial vehicles and other demanding mobility applications. As charging standards evolve and manufacturers pursue shorter charging times, the underlying control systems must support increasingly sophisticated interactions between vehicles, batteries and charging infrastructure.
The OpenECU NX3 addresses this transition through an integrated architecture that combines CCS, MCS and vehicle supervisory control. Its support for established communication standards, automotive interfaces, flexible development methods and safety-related engineering objectives is intended to help OEMs manage the technical demands of advanced charging systems.
The platform’s ability to consolidate functions into one ECU may help reduce controller count, wiring requirements and software integration complexity in suitable vehicle architectures. Its integration with the Raptor software ecosystem also provides a unified path for developing, calibrating, validating and deploying application software.
As manufacturers continue investing in electric mobility, solutions that simplify control architecture while supporting evolving charging requirements could become increasingly important.
New Eagle’s 2026 AutoTech Breakthrough Award recognizes the OpenECU NX3’s contribution to this area of automotive technology. The award highlights an approach focused on integrating critical vehicle functions, reducing unnecessary system complexity and supporting the development of production-ready charging solutions for the next generation of electric vehicles.
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