A vehicle communication management unit comprising: at least one configurable communication interface, each configurable communication interface configured to send and receive signals between a communication system and the vehicle communication management unit using a select communication protocol; at least one memory to store operating instructions of the communication management unit including an interface configuration table, the interface configuration table including communication operating parameters for select communication protocols; and a communication controller to control communication operations of the communication management unit, the communication controller configured to: determine a type of communication protocol used in a communication link coupled to the at least one configurable communication interface; configure the at least one configurable communication interface with communication operating parameters stored in the interface configuration table associated with the determined type of communication protocol so that the at least one configurable communication interface provides an interface for signals between the communication system and the vehicle communication management unit; determine if a message to be communicated is a critical message; determine if the configuration of the configurable communication interface allows the sending and receiving of critical messages; and use the configurable communication interface when it is has been determined that the message is a critical message and the configurable communication interface is allowed to send and receive critical messages. at least one configurable communication interface, each configurable communication interface configured to send and receive signals between a communication system and the vehicle communication management unit using a select communication protocol; at least one memory to store operating instructions of the communication management unit including an interface configuration table, the interface configuration table including communication operating parameters for select communication protocols; and a communication controller to control communication operations of the communication management unit, the communication controller configured to: determine a type of communication protocol used in a communication link coupled to the at least one configurable communication interface; configure the at least one configurable communication interface with communication operating parameters stored in the interface configuration table associated with the determined type of communication protocol so that the at least one configurable communication interface provides an interface for signals between the communication system and the vehicle communication management unit; determine if a message to be communicated is a critical message; determine if the configuration of the configurable communication interface allows the sending and receiving of critical messages; and use the configurable communication interface when it is has been determined that the message is a critical message and the configurable communication interface is allowed to send and receive critical messages. determine a type of communication protocol used in a communication link coupled to the at least one configurable communication interface; configure the at least one configurable communication interface with communication operating parameters stored in the interface configuration table associated with the determined type of communication protocol so that the at least one configurable communication interface provides an interface for signals between the communication system and the vehicle communication management unit; determine if a message to be communicated is a critical message; determine if the configuration of the configurable communication interface allows the sending and receiving of critical messages; and use the configurable communication interface when it is has been determined that the message is a critical message and the configurable communication interface is allowed to send and receive critical messages.