This paper introduces and elaborates on Super-Critical Operational Modes (SCOMs) within automotive systems. In the landscape of increasingly software-centric automotive functionalities, SCOMs are pivotal for maneuvering through severe operational disruptions while ensuring vehicle safety and longevity. Distinctly diverging from the traditional focus on normal operational modes and isolated component failures, this research accentuates the imperative need for a systematic understanding and mitigation of SCOMs. A nuanced classification system is proposed for SCOMs: Type I (Mild), Type II (Moderate), and Type III (Severe) intensities, each distinguished by their respective intensity levels, impacts, and recovery complexities. Particularly for Type III SCOMs, an innovative approach rooted in automatic diagnostics, analysis, and internal system restructuring is advocated, thereby obviating the need for external intervention. This framework provides invaluable insights for practitioners, enabling the identification, analysis, and autonomous response to SCOMs, thereby fostering the development of resilient, self-sustaining, and safe automotive systems.