Exemplary methods, apparatuses, and systems include an intelligent boot manager for controlling initialization of components of vehicle computing systems. The intelligent boot manager receives an access request for a vehicle. The intelligent boot manager initializes a set of components of vehicle systems of the vehicle in response to the access request. The intelligent boot manager executes a first portion of code from a read-only memory (ROM) location, the first portion of code configuring a processor to initialize a random-access memory (RAM) location. The intelligent boot manager downloads a set of applications to the RAM location. The intelligent boot manager receives an engine start request for the vehicle, wherein the engine start request is distinct from the access request. The intelligent boot manager initiates an engine start sequence of the vehicle in response to the engine start request.