The transportation and automotive industries are currently engaged in processes aimed at transforming and enhancing the fundamental principles of vehicles as they currently exist. The majority of research is currently concentrated on the control of autonomous and self-driving vehicles, although the electrification of vehicles remains a significant area of interest. It would be beneficial to coordinate and develop these two developments together. The growing popularity and use of hybrid and all-electric vehicles is opening new areas of opportunity for vehicle design. The shorter range and slower charging technology associated with electric cars necessitate the implementation of a distinct operational logic. The role of individual electric consumers and energy consumption will become more important, requiring us to pay more attention to these elements. In this paper we want to explore the aspects where it might be worthwhile to start developing a new kind of vehicle energy management. We also want to point out the cases where it might be essential to control the electrical power supply to the vehicle’s electronic subsystems. One of our main goals is to focus on highly automated vehicle functions.