How does Automotive Ethernet is differs from Traditional Ethernet?
Tags: ethernet, automotive, automotiveethernet, communication
Published: 2023-02-22 12:16:37

Hi, I'm Anil Das worked Software Engineer at Luxoft India. Today, I would like to write about How does Automotive Ethernet differ from our Traditional Ethernet. In Luxoft also Automotive Ethernet is using in Infotainment, Powertrain, Body, Chassis, DoIP, etc.

Automotive Ethernet is a relatively new technology, with its roots in the development of Ethernet itself. Ethernet was first introduced in the 1970s as a way to connect computers in local area networks (LANs). At that time, Ethernet used coaxial cables and was designed to operate at speeds of up to 10 Mbps.

Over the years, Ethernet has evolved and improved, with the development of new cabling and physical layer technologies. In the 1990s, Ethernet began to be used in industrial and automation applications, with the development of industrial Ethernet protocols such as Profinet and EtherNet/IP.

The automotive industry began to adopt Ethernet in the early 2000s, as it became increasingly reliant on electronic systems for safety, entertainment, and communication. However, traditional Ethernet was not suitable for use in the harsh automotive environment, as it was prone to electromagnetic interference (EMI) and radio frequency interference (RFI).

To address these issues, the automotive industry began to develop a new version of Ethernet that was specifically designed for use in automotive applications. The first automotive Ethernet standard, known as BroadR-Reach, was developed by Broadcom in the early 2000s. BroadR-Reach was designed to operate over unshielded twisted pair (UTP) cabling, which was cheaper and easier to install than shielded cabling.

In 2010, the Open Alliance was formed, with the goal of developing an open, standardized version of Automotive Ethernet. The Open Alliance was initially made up of BMW, Bosch, Freescale, and Volvo, but has since grown to include more than 100 members from across the automotive industry.

The first version of the Open Alliance Ethernet standard, known as 100BASE-T1, was released in 2012. 100BASE-T1 is designed to operate over a single twisted pair of wires, and supports speeds of up to 100 Mbps. It also includes features such as Quality of Service (QoS) and time-sensitive networking (TSN), which are important for automotive applications.

Since the release of 100BASE-T1, several other versions of Automotive Ethernet have been developed, including 1000BASE-T1 (1 Gbps) and 10GBASE-T1 (10 Gbps). These higher-speed versions of Automotive Ethernet are designed to handle the large amounts of data generated by advanced automotive systems, such as cameras, sensors, and other connected devices.

Today, Automotive Ethernet is becoming increasingly common in new cars, particularly in high-end models. It is being used for a wide range of applications, including infotainment systems, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), and autonomous driving. As the automotive industry continues to evolve, it is likely that Automotive Ethernet will become even more important, as cars become increasingly connected and reliant on advanced electronic systems.

However, traditional Ethernet, which uses unshielded twisted pair (UTP) cabling, has some limitations that make it unsuitable for use in vehicles. For instance, it is prone to electromagnetic interference (EMI) and radio frequency interference (RFI), which can cause data loss or corruption. Additionally, Ethernet is not designed to operate in harsh environments, such as those found in automotive applications.

Automotive Ethernet is a new version of Ethernet that has been specifically designed for use in the automotive industry. It uses different physical layer technologies, such as shielded twisted pair (STP) cabling and single-pair Ethernet (SPE), which are better suited to automotive applications.

One of the key differences between Automotive Ethernet and traditional Ethernet is the bandwidth. Traditional Ethernet operates at speeds of up to 1 Gbps (Gigabit per second), which is fast enough for most LAN applications. However, Automotive Ethernet operates at much higher speeds, with some implementations supporting speeds of up to 10 Gbps. This high bandwidth is necessary for handling the large amounts of data generated by advanced automotive systems, such as cameras, sensors, and other connected devices.

Another difference between Automotive Ethernet and traditional Ethernet is the support for Quality of Service (QoS). QoS is a mechanism that allows traffic to be prioritized based on its importance. For instance, critical data such as steering and braking commands can be given a higher priority than non-critical data such as infotainment systems. Automotive Ethernet supports QoS, which is important for ensuring that critical data is always delivered on time, even when the network is congested.

Automotive Ethernet also includes features that are specifically designed for automotive applications. For instance, it includes features that support time-sensitive networking (TSN), which is a set of standards for ensuring that time-critical data is delivered on time. TSN is essential for applications such as autonomous driving, where a delay of even a few milliseconds can be catastrophic.

Another important feature of Automotive Ethernet is its support for security. As cars become more connected, they are becoming increasingly vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Automotive Ethernet includes security features such as Secure Boot and Secure Over-The-Air (OTA) updates, which are designed to prevent unauthorized access and ensure that software updates are only installed from trusted sources.

Automotive Ethernet is also more reliable than traditional Ethernet. It is designed to operate in harsh environments, such as those found in automotive applications, where it may be exposed to extreme temperatures, vibrations, and other environmental factors. It is also designed to be resistant to electromagnetic interference (EMI) and radio frequency interference (RFI), which can cause data loss or corruption.

The adoption of Automotive Ethernet is still in its early stages, but it is expected to become the dominant communication standard in the automotive industry over the next few years. One of the reasons for this is that it is compatible with existing Ethernet technologies, which makes it easy to integrate into existing automotive systems.

In conclusion, Automotive Ethernet is a new version of Ethernet that has been specifically designed for use in the automotive industry. It is faster, more reliable