This paper has illustrated evolution and trends in automotive electrical distribution systems. The increasing power and complexity requirements for automotive applications such as EDS, combined with ever-shrinking size and weight allowances, is creating a greater need for space/cost optimization while never compromising the design ruggedness. It is extremely important for semiconductor companies, with a clear vision of future needs, to be ready with a suitable product portfolio fulfilling these requirements. STMicroelectronics has well understood this concept: in addition to the newest and very robust HSD generation, named VIPower/spl trade/ M05, it is developing a new family of devices that, with additional functionality and features, will offer a superior, state of the art reference for this kind of applications.