Feature: Interconnects
Automotive Ethernet connectivity advancements
By Ralph Semmeling, Product Portfolio Director for Signal Interconnects, ENNOVI T
he automotive industry is currently undergoing a significant transformation with the adoption of 10Gb/s Automotive Ethernet protocols
to accommodate the data-intensive requirements of autonomous driving technologies. Clearly there are technical challenges and solutions associated with implementing high-speed data transmission capabilities within automotive systems, focusing on the transition from traditional bus structures to Automotive Ethernet. There’s also a clear engineering
rationale behind the adoption of press-fit connectivity solutions over traditional solder-based methods, emphasising signal integrity, manufacturing efficiency and environmental considerations.
The shift to Automotive Ethernet The progression towards fully- autonomous vehicles has led to an
exponential increase in volume of data generated by vehicular sensors. This data is crucial for the autonomous vehicle’s decision-making processes, such as braking, accelerating and maneuvering. Traditional bus systems like CAN
and FlexiBus are becoming increasingly inadequate for this data-intensive environment, paving the way for the adoption of Automotive Ethernet, which offers a streamlined, two-wire solution, capable of handling these advanced data requirements of 10Gb/s and beyond. This protocol is covered by different standard committees, including IEEE and Open Alliance, to allow plug-and- play settups within the vehicle. The standardisation of the
Automotive Ethernet interface, spearheaded by The United States Council for Automotive Research (USCAR), marks a significant milestone in automotive connectivity, drawing parallels with the data-centre industry’s
approach to standardised interfaces. The initiative was brought about by the adoption of the high-speed modular twisted-pair data (H-MTD) interface – a connector system used in automotive networking applications that supports frequencies to 20GHz and data transmission rates to 56Gbps. The mechanical and electrical
aspects of the interface were defined, leaving specifications more open to adaptation and the establishing of the solder-based footprint. Initially, these 10Gbps Ethernet solutions were used between electronic control units (ECUs) and sensors. 1Gbps Ethernet solutions used with sensors were mostly propriety interfaces, which restricts access to multiple suppliers. With the rise of more advanced sensors requiring 10Gbps connectivity, standardising the interface on both ends not only simplifies cable harness manufacturing but also enables multiple supplier possibilities.
www.electronicsworld.co.uk April 2024 25
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44
