How will connectivity enable next generation autonomous vehicles?

By Sascha Spillner   |   December 6, 2021

Car designs of the past relied purely on the manipulation of mechanical systems and had relatively simple powertrain requirements, but their modern counterparts demand a far more intricate infrastructure.  The wide array of different features and functionalities that they now possess, in relation to diagnostics, infotainment, safety and suchlike, means that huge quantities of data need to be constantly analysed and interpreted.

With new and highly complex automotive design concepts emerging, the supporting interconnects must evolve accordingly. Earlier this year, Molex conducted and published a survey to discover what’s next in the automotive industry.  Covering car manufacturers plus their tier 1 and tier 2 suppliers, the survey asked automotive industry professionals to give their opinions on the major trends that will shape their sector in the years ahead. 230 people in total took part.
 

The survey: what’s next in the automotive industry?

Among the key findings derived from the survey were the following:

1. When questioned about new vehicle purchases in 2030, 94% concluded that they would have high levels of autonomous operation. 27% were of the opinion that these would have complete autonomy by that stage, while the rest felt that some human intervention is still going to be required.
2. Though most are optimistic about the progression of autonomous driving, the majority stated that the possibility of ‘zero fatality’ cars being on our roads by 2030 was not that likely. However, most expect that it will happen at some point in the future.
3. Due to the various technological advances that will be implemented between now and 2030, a relatively large proportion of those participating in the survey expected the cost of vehicles to be at least 50% higher than their current equivalent, with only 4% believing that vehicle prices would actually be less.
    

Figure 1: Examples of the survey’s main findings (Source: Molex)

The implications: vehicle autonomy is the future

It is clear that increasing levels of vehicle autonomy are going to be expected in the next few years. This will require the acquisition of continuously-updated imaging data, so that the car’s systems can be kept informed of the movements of other road users, as well as any potential issues that might lie ahead. Consequently, the number of camera units situated on the exterior of the average vehicle is certain to increase. Furthermore, the resolution of such cameras will be much greater. There will, likewise, be internal camera and thermal imaging systems installed for driver/passenger monitoring. These will allow safety and comfort benefits to be realised.

Over time, more sophisticated imaging systems will become commonplace in automobile models. These will enable detailed 3D renderings of the surrounding environment, and will be based on radar, LiDAR or time-of-flight (ToF) technologies.

The in-vehicle networking infrastructure supporting such imaging systems will need to deal with the transfer of far greater quantities of captured data than were previously required. This data will then be passed back to the relevant electronic control units (ECUs) or a central computing resource, so that appropriate actions can subsequently be taken. The need for rapid responsiveness will mean that future internal infrastructure will be expected to support accelerated speeds, plus low latency operation. Low latency will drive the implementation solutions that are compliant with time sensitive networking (TNS) protocols.
 

Connectivity solutions

Figure 2: FAKRA coaxial and HS-AutoLink connectors

Molex has developed a range of advanced interconnect systems that are not only suitable for today’s cars, but future-proofed for the models that will be entering the market in 2030 and beyond. As well as delivering elevated performance characteristics, they have the necessary compactness and robustness for automotive deployment.

The inherently rugged Molex HSAutoLink II connectors can handle data rates up to 5Gbps, with a broad array of high-speed media protocols consequently being supported (including USB3.0, LVDS, DVI, DisplayPort and Ethernet AVB). This allows these connectors to be employed for a variety of driver assistance, vehicle diagnostics and telematics related tasks. Shielded casings mitigate the effects of electromagnetic interference (EMI), so that signal quality is always maintained.  

Figure 3: SlimStack board-to-board connectors,
0.40mm pitch floating FSB series

With an IP69K rating, the Molex FAKRA coaxial connectors have a sealed construction that protects them against liquid ingress. This makes them highly suited to exterior located automotive camera system implementations. These connectors conform to the SAE’s USCAR-17 automotive interconnect performance standard. Mechanical keying is included in order to prevent mis-mating occurring.  

Molex SlimStack board-to-board connectors, 0.4mm-pitch floating FSB series, are very well aligned with the need for more densely packed automotive electronic systems. SlimStack Connectors exhibit very low-profile mated heights, down to just 0.70mm , so that boards can be positioned closely together. USCAR-2-compliant, these ultra-compact components deliver data rates of 6Gbps - allowing them to not only be used in current advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) camera installations (see image below), but have ample scope to support higher resolution LiDAR and radar imaging systems that will emerge in the next few years, as well as being applicable for driver monitoring purposes. Their wide floating range provides considerable design flexibility and facilitates automated assembly processes: 0.30mm floating range for the FSB3 series, and 0.50mm floating range for the FSB5 series X- ,Y- and Z- axis directions. Gold-plated contacts result in 30 mating cycle durability figures and these connectors also have blind-mating capabilities. The full automotive-grade -40˚C to +125˚C operational temperature range is covered.  

Figure 4: A SlimStack mating pair incorporated into a high resolution camera deployment (Source: Molex)

The Easy-On connectors from Molex present automotive engineers with another high reliability interconnect solution with the bandwidth necessary for automotive radar and LiDAR applications. With pitches from 0.50mm and a right-angle orientation, the FFC/FPC connectors, FD19 series, are optimised for situations where there is only limited space available. By having two independent contact points, continuous interconnect integrity is always ensured, even when subject to extreme vibrations. These components are suitable for operating temperatures of up to +150˚C.

Figure 5: Easy-On FFC/FPC connectors in LiDAR (Source: Molex)

Conclusion

The Molex survey offers invaluable insight on how decision makers within the automotive industry see things progressing over the course of this decade. It also identifies what will need to be achieved from an interconnect perspective if this is to happen in the way that participants envisage.

Through the cutting-edge interconnect technology developed by Molex, Avnet Abacus is fully prepared to deal with the changes taking place in automotive design. Our ever-expanding team of FAEs has the know-how and experience to help car manufacturers and tier 1 system integrators implement more effective connectivity in their vehicle designs.

Visit the Molex automotive solutions page to find out more, or if you’re ready to overcome your engineering challenges, get in touch to discuss your requirements.

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About Author

Sascha Spillner

As Account Manager Central Europe, Sascha specialises in supporting automotive customers on their IP...

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