History

In recent decades, more and more functions are being developed for motor vehicles for the purpose of making driving safer, more comfortable, and environmentally friendly. These are increasingly being realized with the help of electronic components that have a growing need for information exchange. These electronic components include not only electronic control units (ECUs) but also more and more powerful sensors and actuators designed to support autonomous driving.

Increasing requirements

Besides the classic requirements for driving, the requirements for multimedia and infotainment in the motor vehicle are also increasing. For example, there are already a wide range of different audio and video systems today for entertaining vehicle users and passengers. The connection of smartphones or other Internet-capable devices is already an available feature in many vehicles. The general trend toward greater networking is now further influencing these systems and will ultimately increase the demand for available bandwidth for data transmission in the vehicle.

Experiences with Ethernet

In parallel with development of the motor vehicle, Ethernet has established itself as a flexible and scalable network technology in communication systems in recent decades. A major strength of Ethernet is its support of a large number of physical media, which allows it to be used in the motor vehicle. Because the physical media are protocol-neutral, other transmission technologies can also be easily developed and adapted for requirements from the automotive sector. Long-term use in future vehicle platforms is thus also conceivable.