A New Era of Advanced Automotive NetworkingA New Era of Advanced Automotive Networking

As car buyers increasingly expect their vehicles to reflect the same “digital life experience” that they enjoy with consumer devices, the automotive industry must adapt by incorporating new applications and technologies. Among the key elements required in this important transition are innovative communication technologies for in-vehicle networks. 

Communications networks are vital for mission-critical functions such as ADAS and autonomous drive. However, enabling these advanced functions while complying with stringent automotive safety requirements demands a corresponding increase in the capabilities—and complexity—of both the hardware (HW) processors and software running those networks. 

Rising trends in automotive network communication

Modern vehicles are becoming increasingly sophisticated with features requiring fast, secure, and reliable communication networks and routings. Demand for in-car infotainment is increasing as drivers seek the same experience they have at home. In fact, analysts at ABI Research project that in 2024, drivers and passengers will spend a little shy of two billion hours with in-vehicle infotainment systems, and this number is projected to skyrocket to almost 12 billion hours annually by 2030, signaling the onset of a new, software-defined era for the automotive industry.

Associated with the increasing sophistication of in-vehicle infotainment systems, the industry is moving toward new electrical/electronic (E/E) architectures, specifically zonal. Despite their numerous advantages in terms of wiring, harness, and flexibility, zonal E/E architectures require implementing more sophisticated routing scenarios for communication. Simply using more powerful and, thus, more expensive CPUs will not lead to a future-proof and cost-effective solution. An alternative approach is needed.

These combined challenges have pushed hardware vendors to introduce next-generation microcontrollers with specialized, on-board acceleration blocks that optimize resources and enhance the performance of automotive network communications.

The challenge of integration

The new, advanced hardware accelerators—from companies like Infineon, Renesas, and NXP— are crucial in supporting the new functionalities of software-defined vehicles. However, integrating these new-generation processors into E/E architectures based on the widely adopted Classic AUTOSAR standard poses significant challenges. The majority of the Classic AUTOSAR modules are defined as hardware independent and, therefore, must be combined with very deep hardware vendor-specific technologies. This integration process demands significant time, additional engineering efforts, and specialized configuration, leading to higher costs and extended timelines for car makers and Tier 1 suppliers. 

A new approach 

Traditionally, a special project would be executed to integrate and configure in-hardware accelerators within Classic AUTOSAR, with engineering teams typically building their own solutions. In user documentation of microcontrollers, chapters related to hardware accelerators are typically more than 700 pages long with complex descriptions of registers, DMA channels, and smart filters, etc. Proper utilization of this technology thus requires profound knowledge of hardware and software.

Not anymore. A new, off-the-shelf solution allows carmakers and Tier 1 suppliers to integrate the hardware accelerators into a Classic AUTOSAR environment in a smooth and systematic way. This solution effectively bridges the gap between the hardware-independent Classic AUTOSAR environment and purely hardware-dependent communication accelerators. The solution is implemented as a complex device driver in the Classic AUTOSAR environment, located between communication drivers and the hardware abstraction layers, allowing for efficient utilization of hardware-specific mechanisms while simultaneously connecting to the communication software stack.

The solution provides flexible support for the most complex routing scenarios, enabling carmakers to more easily configure accelerators and build CAN and Ethernet networks more efficiently in terms of processing latency and CPU load. The complexity of configurations is resolved by abstracting the hardware parameters in configuration tooling. This abstraction allows engineers to configure general routing entries instead of DMA channels and registers, etc., leading to an easier and faster configuration process. Using this new technology can save engineering teams weeks of efforts and associated costs to build a high-performance system with significant performance improvements.

Conclusion 

Communication within a vehicle’s network is no easy task, especially with the introduction of latest (E/E) architectures. New, innovative software solutions for complex hardware accelerators can address the complexities and high costs associated with the integration and configuration of modern in-vehicle communication.