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Car Connectivity based on Automotive Ethernet MATEnet interconnection system provides bandwidth, flexibility and reliability Page 6 Car Connectivity based on Automotive Ethernet MATEnet interconnection system provides bandwidth, flexibility and reliability TE AUTOMOTIVE /// White Paper | Car Connectivity based on Automotive Ethernet The McKinsey 2014 figures illustrate the fact that the car already is probably one of the most underrated technical systems of our time. And it is becoming more complex. Networking and connectivity are moving to the center of attention because new functions and services add to the vehicles attractiveness. It is a big market: In 2015, the US auto market alone accounted for 17.5 million vehicles, or approximately 20 % of global sales [2]. As America's automobile industry, for instance, is one of the most powerful engines driving the US economy, connectivity is a cornerstone of future success. The same applies to every major automotive world market. Bearing in mind that every modern car is a rolling network already, the bottom line can only be: The car has entered into the age of software and connectivity. There is a whole new value chain forming around it in the global automotive industry. 2 | MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS – Bandwidth – At the very core of in-vehicle networking and connectivity is the physical layer of networking – the inter- connection system and cabling/harness. Existing vehicle bus standards such as CAN, LIN, FlexRay, and MOST are the response to specific requirements and the answer to the need of finding a balance between cost and performance for each networking application. This is exactly why Automotive Ethernet will con- tribute a growing share of the in-vehicle networking. Standards such as IEEE 100BASE-T1 (IEEE802.3bw) with 100 Mbit/sec at 66 MHz (or up to 200) MHz and IEEE 1000BASE-T1 (IEEE802.3bp) with 1 Gbit/sec at up to 600 MHz offer the bandwidth which is increasingly needed to transmit data in the car. At the same time the simple Automotive Ethernet cabling avoids all the downsides of optical fiber networks (MOST), for instance. In the near future cars will likely have between 5 and 15 Automotive Ethernet lines with 100 Mbit/sec, and up to 5 lines with 1 Gbit/sec. – Flexibility – Part of the challenge, however, is not "just" to provide more bandwidth for bigger data packages, it is also a challenge to meet the OEMs' different approaches to vehicle Electronic/Electrical architecture. Some, for instance use more local intelligence (distributed over various ECUs or sensors) while others opt for a centralized architecture with more computing power in fewer but larger domain ECUs. An additional challenge lies in the Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) specifications. Some applications require a higher level of shielding while others work well with a simple unshielded cable. Now, shielding require- ments translate into different cable types – and different cost levels. Also, different types of cables may require different types of interconnection technology. Utilizing Automotive Ethernet therefore requires an intelligent interconnection solution that offers the flexibility, economy and performance for differing EMC requirement levels. – Automotive-grade robustness – However, the car is not a "normal" environment for networking and data traffic: Vibration, impact, heat, cold, dampness, aggressive fluids, and voltage fluctuations in the on-board electrical infrastructure pose tough requirements to managing data flows. Also the cabling (harness) shall be easily installed. In other words, connectivity is the key to the future of mobility, however, vehicle networks require very specific solutions to make all the future dreams of mobility come true.