Application-specific Buses Drive R&D in North American In-Car Network Technologies and Protocols

Application-specific Buses Drive R&D in North American In-Car Network Technologies and Protocols

Frost: Spurred by the need for reliable network technologies and protocols that support numerous advanced applications, North American automakers are increasingly seeking high-speed, application-specific buses and network technologies. These buses are expected to provide R&D assistance to automakers, their suppliers, and other participants that are working toward greater integration of electronic content in light vehicles. By 2012 98.6 percent, 55.9 percent, 27.5 percent and 19.5 percent of all new light vehicles sold in North America will feature CAN, LIN, MOST and FlexRay protocols respectively.

The market features several application-specific network protocols such as controller area network (CAN), local interconnect network (LIN), media oriented systems transport (MOST), and FlexRay. Most emerging technologies and protocols feature varying performance attributes as well as propositions and also differ in terms of implementation costs and mechanisms.

All these protocols support several unique and innovative applications. However, many of them overlap in terms of application areas. Automakers and suppliers have to identify the right set of network technologies and protocols that will enable them to introduce advanced applications.It is important that the selected technologies and protocols be compatible with futuristic products so that they do not affect the technology launches of automakers and their suppliers.

The automotive industry is rapidly adopting the CAN network technology and at this stage, most North American automakers are planning products and applications that can be networked using CAN. However, as advanced and innovative infotainment, safety and control, and comfort and convenience applications evolve, the limitations of CAN to support several application specific functions is being exposed, and this is paving the way for introduction of application specific network protocols such as MOST, FlexRay and LIN.

Although these protocols offer high value to vehicle owners and have the potential of bringing about greater convergence of electronics with automobiles, high costs of implementation are restraining their deeper and wider penetration. Therefore, the adoption of most emerging network technologies and protocols is limited to high-end vehicles.

The early introduction and the quasi-standardization phases of most emerging in-car network technologies and protocols is the cause for the high per node and implementation costs associated with them. There has to be increased cooperation among automakers, suppliers, and developers for rapid standardization of these protocols to raise their adoption in high-volume vehicle segments.

As buyers of volume vehicles are increasingly demanding greater value for money, these protocols are expected to be rapidly introduced in high-volume vehicles to achieve economies of scale and consequently, lower prices. This is likely to catalyze wider adoption in future.”

It is vital to convince automakers to become more actively involved in the technology consortia for these protocols and accelerate the standardization and technology development process. Technology developers have to convince automakers to rapidly adopt these protocols across multiple vehicle segments as well as develop sophisticated functions and applications based on these protocols.

Automakers are increasingly differentiating their vehicles by providing sophisticated and inventive features such as safety, stability, control, comfort, convenience, and infotainment.

Strategic Analysis of the North American In-Car Network Technologies and Protocols Publ 20060109