Ethernet In-vehicle Networking to Feature in 40% of Vehicles Shipping Globally by 2020

Ethernet penetration in new vehicles will grow from 1% in 2014 to 40% in 2020. The 100Mbps BroadR-Reach automotive Ethernet standard was created in 2011 by the One-Pair Ether-Net Special Interest Group.

“The emergence of drive-by-wire, the explosion of in-vehicle sensors for ADAS and automated driving, and the adoption of connected infotainment, pose new challenges for in-vehicle networking technologies in terms of cost, bandwidth, cable harness weight, and complexity. Ethernet is now being considered as a replacement for legacy bus protocols such as MOST and FlexRay by car OEMs including BMW and Hyundai,” says VP and practice director, Dominique Bonte.

At the same time, short range wireless technologies such as BLE and 802.11ac Wi-Fi are deployed for connecting and integrating smartphones, smart watches and eyewear into the vehicle, while broadband wired standards such as MHL are enabling connected rear-seat infotainment.

This reflects a wider trend of dedicated automotive standards for electronics, semiconductors, software (AUTOSAR and JasPar), and connectivity optimized for automotive requirements such as reliability, robustness, temperature range, and cost being partially replaced by and/or complemented with general purpose ICT technologies. Such technologies include: Ethernet, HDMI / MHL, NFC, and computing and graphics processors to keep up with the pace of innovation in the consumer electronics, digital home, and mobile industries.

This represents a threat for the traditional automotive ecosystem of suppliers such as Freescale, NXP, and Renesas but an opportunity for mobile chipset vendors Broadcom, Intel, and Qualcomm and startups such as Silicon Image to enter the automotive industry with (semi-) automotive grade solutions, leveraging existing portfolios.

ABI Research’s new “In-Vehicle Connectivity And Networking” study covers all wired and wireless in-vehicle networking technologies, vendors, drivers and benefits as well as shipment and penetration forecasts for bus protocols (CAN, LIN, MOST, FlexRay, and Ethernet), wired (USB, MHL), and wireless connectivity (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, NFC).

The study is part of the Intelligent Transportation Systems Research Service.

ABI Research provides in-depth analysis and quantitative forecasting of trends in global connectivity and other emerging technologies. From offices in North America, Europe and Asia, ABI Research’s worldwide team of experts advises thousands of decision makers through 70+ research and advisory services. Est. 1990. For more information visit www.abiresearch.com, or call +1.516.624.2500.