Skip to main content

In-car electronics and user demand for connectivity make case for automotive Ethernet

According to Frost and Sullivan, the use of Ethernet technology in automotive is gaining pace in Europe and North America. The paradigm shift towards connected cars and associated services such as automotive app stores and connected location-based services is fuelling the uptake. Along with the need to integrate multiple consumer electronic devices, the importance of offering prioritised, personalised services and maintaining brand identity are compelling automotive OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) t
January 22, 2014 Read time: 3 mins
According to Frost and Sullivan, the use of Ethernet technology in automotive is gaining pace in Europe and North America. The paradigm shift towards connected cars and associated services such as automotive app stores and connected location-based services is fuelling the uptake. Along with the need to integrate multiple consumer electronic devices, the importance of offering prioritised, personalised services and maintaining brand identity are compelling automotive OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) to adopt Ethernet technology.

New analysis from the company, Strategic Outlook of Automotive Ethernet Technology in Europe and North America, expects the number of Ethernet nodes to rise to more than 100 in luxury cars, 50-60 in cars sold in the mass market, and up to 10 in entry-level cars by 2020. The global market for Ethernet ports is expected to reach 300 million by 2020, with North America and Europe contributing the most to the total revenue.

User interest in audio and video applications for advanced driver assistance systems like camera assisted parking, lane departure warning systems, collision avoidance systems, and traffic light recognition is spurring the adoption of high-speed Ethernet in the range of 100 megabits per second. As a result, automotive OEMs and tier I suppliers in Europe and North America continue to work on Ethernet-based electrical and electronic (E/E) system architecture for vehicle applications though it is a time-consuming, research-intensive, and expensive process.

“Ethernet could serve as a backbone to the electronic architecture connecting domains and sub-networks for in-vehicle applications, especially as other car networks like local interconnected network, controller area network, and FlexRay lack the specifications to meet the demand for high bandwidth and scalability,” said 2097 Frost & Sullivan automotive and transportation research analyst Divya Krishnamurthy. “This is highlighting the need for a common network that can support several in-vehicle requirements.”

Standardising Ethernet platforms will offer benefits in terms of cost, performance, interoperability, upgradability, and faster time-to-market. In fact, the OPEN Alliance Special Interest Group, a non-profit alliance of automotive industry players and technology providers, aims to make BroadR-reach Ethernet technology a standard solution for infotainment and telematics.

“Ethernet in the automotive industry will not only redefine future E/E architecture, but will also lead to the introduction of new business models, such as bundled subscription services, incremental services, targeted sales, upfront revenue, and pay-per-use for OEMs, tier I suppliers and telecom industries,” noted Krishnamurthy. “It will also open doors for innovative products like autonomous driving and application domains inside the vehicle.”

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • New name offers new solutions
    November 26, 2013
    Pete Goldin examines Nokia’s rationale for combining its location services, digital mapping and other capabilities under the HERE brand. While it has divested itself of its mobile phone business to Microsoft, Nokia has kept hold of its HERE business unit and brand which incorporates the company’s location services with digital mapping and other capabilities. The creation of HERE is much more than rebranding as its services are heading off the map and into the cloud. “HERE offers the first location cloud
  • BlackBerry creates innovation centre for connected and autonomous vehicles
    December 21, 2016
    BlackBerry has unveiled its BlackBerry QNX Autonomous Vehicle Innovation Centre (AVIC). Housed within the BlackBerry QNX facility in Ontario, Canada, the centre aims to accelerate the progress of connected and self-driving vehicles by developing production-ready software independently and in collaboration with partners in the private and public sector. As part of this initiative, BlackBerry QNX plans to recruit and hire local software engineers to work on ongoing and emerging engineering projects for co
  • LG and Intel to develop and pilot 5G telematics technology
    February 26, 2016
    LG Electronics (LG) and Intel are to collaborate on the development of 5G-based telematics technology, the next generation of wireless technology for cars. The two companies will utilise research and development expertise and leadership from both companies with the aim of being first to market with 5G ready solutions. 5G telematics delivers data more than 33 times faster than 4G LTE with latency expected to drop to about one tenth of current speeds. Software can be updated at high speeds through OTA (Ove
  • Taxi sector to lead self-driving market by 2025, say researchers
    November 24, 2016
    New findings from Juniper Research reveal that the annual production of self-driving cars will reach 14.5 million in 2025, up significantly from only a few thousands in 2020, to give a global installed base of more than 22 million consumer vehicles by 2025. The new research, Autonomous Vehicles & ADAS: Adoption, Regulation & Business Models 2016-2025, found that the market adoption of AV (Autonomous Vehicle) technology is set to accelerate over the next few years, driven by: Increasingly stringent vehicl