Next-generation Central and Zonal Communication Network Topology and Chip Industry Research Report, 2026-2027
Research on Zonal Communication Topology: New Architectures Including 10 BASE-T1S+RCP, AVB/TSN Ethernet Are Under Rapid Development
Vehicle communication networks are mainly divided into in-vehicle networks and off-vehicle networks. This report focuses on the development and application scenarios of in-vehicle communication technologies.
- Backbone Network: 10 GbE Ethernet is being deployed onboard, with implementation paths including copper-cable Ethernet 10G BASE-T1 and automotive optical communication (optical fiber Ethernet, passive optical network / PON);
- Local Edge Nodes: 10 BASE-T1S and CAN-XL are being introduced to vehicles. The 10 BASE-T1S+RCP solution enables MCU-Less edge nodes;
High-speed Video Communication: 10G+ SerDes is being adopted onboard. Open protocols have become an irresistible trend, while major proprietary protocols such as GMSL and FPD-Link are converging toward open standards;
- Automotive Audio Communication: A2B 2.0 coexists and competes with AVB/TSN Ethernet. In the short term, a hybrid layered network architecture of “AVB/TSN Ethernet backbone + A2B 2.0 audio spur” will be adopted. Full-vehicle Ethernet adaptation represents the main trend, and A2B 2.0 is being actively optimized for Ethernet architectures.
Edge Nodes: 10 BASE-T1S+RCP to realize edge MCU-Less
RCP (Remote Control Protocol) is a lightweight communication protocol built on 10BASE-T1S. It enables zone controllers / central computing platforms to remotely control edge nodes such as automotive Ethernet-based sensors and actuators directly. RCP and 10BASE-T1S are technologies at different layers that work in coordination: 10BASE-T1S is the IEEE-standardized physical layer (PHY) transmission medium, while RCP is the protocol layer running on top of 10BASE-T1S. They are not alternatives to each other, but a combination of underlying bearer and upper-layer application.
The core design philosophy of RCP is to leverage 10BASE-T1S and migrate computing, control logic and protocol conversion functions originally distributed across individual edge MCUs to zone controllers / central computing platforms. Edge nodes only retain basic I/O driver functions and become remotely accessible peripherals. This replaces the traditional distributed “MCU + gateway” architecture, achieves MCU elimination at edge nodes, and facilitates the smooth evolution of the E/E architecture toward the ultimate form of central computing platform + zone gateway.
In current industry implementations, “RCP + 10BASE-T1S” is often packaged as a deployment solution known as the “Ethernet Edge Bus”. The entire transmission link is simplified into a flat, minimal architecture: “HPC/ZCU → 10BASE-T1S SPE Bus → RCP Endpoint Chip → Sensor/Actuator“. Under this design, protocol conversion is fully offloaded to upper-layer controllers; edge nodes only need to parse and execute instructions in compliance with the RCP protocol specification.
The OPEN Alliance TC18 Working Group defines a master-slave Client-Server model for RCP connections:
ZCU (Zone Controller) / HPC (High Performance Computing Platform) as RCP Master (Client): The application-layer RCP Client inside the ZCU/HPC converts control operations into SPI commands, encapsulates them into RCP frames, and dispatches register read/write commands over 10BASE-T1S;
Edge RCP Chip as Slave (Server): The RCP endpoint chip integrates a hardware protocol parsing engine. Frames are parsed directly in hardware to output low-level drive signals for peripheral control, and operations can be executed via SPI. Local protocol conversion is eliminated, so edge-side MCUs for running protocol stacks and firmware deployment are no longer required.
In terms of standardization, the core RCP specification has been released internally within the Open Alliance, though formal standards are not yet finalized. Protocol fields and frame encapsulation solutions for RCP are still under standardization discussion and refinement. RCP was first proposed by BMW at the OPEN Alliance TC14 meeting in May 2023. In April 2024, the OPEN Alliance released RCP Protocol Draft 0.2. In July 2024, the OPEN Alliance established the TC18 Working Group dedicated to RCP standardization. In March 2026, a PAR submission was made to IEEE 1722, opening the opportunity for RCP to become an international standard and resolve the interoperability pain point of incompatible RCP chips from different vendors.
In practical deployment, the 10BASE-T1S+RCP solution is first piloted on a small scale for low-complexity, low-node-count functions such as interior ambient lighting, lamp control, door/window control and seat control. Safety-critical nodes with high ASIL levels including powertrain, braking and steering require ultra-low-latency closed-loop control and will not fully adopt the MCU-Less RCP architecture in the short term. Safety mechanisms and redundancy design require separate evaluation.
Take the onsemi MCU-Less lamp control solution built on RCP as an example. A conventional matrix LED headlamp design requires a dedicated MCU on the lamp board to parse CAN bus commands, run logic algorithms and drive LED light sources. With RCP technology, onsemi enables MCU-Less dynamic lighting control and OTA updates. The zone controller sends commands directly over the 10BASE-T1S network to control the LED driver of the lamp module, realizing MCU-Less lamp control. This cuts BOM costs for lamp-side MCUs and gateways, greatly simplifies the lamp PCB hardware design and reduces module size. Meanwhile, intelligent lamp control logic is centrally migrated to the central computing unit. Leveraging the powerful computing capability of zone controllers and central computers, software-defined lighting functions can be flexibly implemented. This flat architecture of "HPC – 10BASE-T1S Ethernet – RCP Chip – LED Driver" delivers substantial cost reduction and efficiency gains, facilitates hardware-software decoupling and significantly enhances OTA upgrade capability.
Automotive Audio Stream: Hybrid Network Architecture of AVB/TSN Ethernet Backbone + A2B 2.0 Audio Spur
AVB/TSN Ethernet reuses the existing automotive Ethernet backbone to connect distributed audio systems based on ZCUs
Automotive audio architectures are gradually shifting from traditional centralized audio toward distributed audio under the Zonal architecture. Under the Zonal framework, the vehicle is partitioned into front, left, right, rear and other zones. Amplifier functions are distributed into ZCUs, eliminating dedicated amplifier ECUs, while speakers are connected locally to ZCUs — a direction widely explored across the industry.
Centralized Audio Architecture: Amplifier chips are concentrated inside a single ECU, and dedicated amplifiers connect speakers across the cabin via wiring harnesses, with transmission mainly relying on the proprietary A2B protocol.
Distributed Audio Architecture: Amplifiers are embedded within zone controllers (ZCUs). The cockpit SoC handles audio algorithm decoding, and digital audio is transmitted over AVB+TSN Ethernet to drive nearby speakers, supporting flexible management, synchronized transmission and personalized audio experience across multiple zones.
This architectural optimization effectively shortens speaker harness length, substantially reduces harness weight and routing complexity. While maintaining system functionality, it cuts hardware BOM cost, vehicle manufacturing cost and curb weight. It also better enables software-defined audio and supports flexible platform iteration across vehicle models. Multiple vendors have launched distributed audio solutions based on AVB+TSN Ethernet.
ST’s distributed audio solution serves as an example. In January 2026, STMicroelectronics and AutoCore jointly launched a zone-controller-based distributed audio solution centered on the Stellar G series MCU. Amplifier units are distributed and integrated into each zone controller, with speakers connected locally to ZCUs, greatly shortening harness length and reducing harness weight and complexity. This solution completely removes traditional external dedicated amplifiers and the A2B bus. The automotive Ethernet backbone replaces traditional A2B audio wiring; audio data is transmitted over the reused Ethernet backbone without additional dedicated audio cables. Supported by TSN and AVB technologies and an integrated high-performance TSN protocol stack, the cockpit SoC establishes high-precision synchronized audio transmission channels with ZCUs distributed across the vehicle body, achieving nanosecond-level clock synchronization and enabling low-latency, low-jitter synchronized playback for all cabin speakers.
A2B 2.0 Emerges as the Primary Connection for Audio Edge Nodes and Is Actively Adapted to Ethernet Architectures
Meanwhile, A2B itself is evolving. As vehicles are equipped with growing numbers of microphones and speakers and ANC/RNC systems are widely deployed, the 50 Mbps bandwidth of the A2B 1.0 bus has become insufficient. Its 32 audio channels are also constrained: one RNC node may occupy 3 channels, and 4 RNC nodes in a vehicle consume 12 channels, leaving limited headroom for microphones and speakers. Furthermore, A2B 1.0 cannot support sampling rates raised from 44.1 kHz to 96 kHz.
To maintain the competitiveness of the A2B ecosystem, ADI released A2B 2.0 in April 2026. As an upgrade to A2B, A2B 2.0 retains compatibility with A2B 1.0 cables and connectors. Thanks to higher functional integration, simplified external circuits and fewer external components, system cost can be reduced by up to 30%. A2B 2.0 is also Ethernet-compatible and supports 10 Mbps Ethernet data tunneling via the Open Alliance SPI (OASPI) interface. The A2B 2.0 family (ADAA245x series) is now in full mass production.
Higher Bandwidth and Scalability: A2B 2.0 features a full-duplex bandwidth upgraded to 98.3 Mbps, delivering around 4× overall capability improvement versus the prior generation to support advanced automotive audio architectures. It supports 119 audio channels to meet the configuration requirements of premium automotive audio systems.
Ethernet Compatibility: 10 Mbps Ethernet data tunneling is realized through the industry-standard Open Alliance SPI (OASPI) interface to enhance connectivity and flexibility. If remote nodes require Ethernet upgrade in the future, the traffic can be carried over the A2B 2.0 bus, with 10 Mbps reserved for Ethernet within the 100 Mbps bandwidth pool, eliminating the need for separate Ethernet cabling. This reduces harness complexity for OEMs while reserving OTA channels for remote nodes.
Bus and Daisy-Chain Topology Retained: A2B 2.0 remains a bus-based daisy-chain architecture. One master node connects multiple child nodes, which can be speakers or bridged A2B 1.0 chips. The maximum communication distance is 80 meters, and the child-node segment distance is 25 meters, covering the requirements of all vehicle types.
Physical Layer Compatibility: A2B 2.0 still uses UTP (unshielded twisted pair) cabling and is fully backward-compatible with A2B 1.0; no connector replacement is required, only impedance matching. Clock circuits are also simplified for leaner peripheral design.
A2B 2.0 inherits ADI’s mature and long-established audio ecosystem and can interface seamlessly with existing systems without extra development investment. The ADAA2455 / ADAA2456 / ADAA2457 form a family of 100 Mbps A2B 2.0 transceivers: ADAA2455 is a low-cost slave transceiver, while ADAA2457 integrates the OASPI interface.
Based on ADAA2457, one master node can drive a bus supporting up to 11 child nodes. External interfaces include the OASPI interface for Ethernet and 8 flexibly configurable I/O ports for audio peripherals such as I2S, TDM and PDM. Digital microphones and other edge devices can be directly attached to the A2B bus, removing the overhead of MCUs and software development. This plug-and-play capability makes the integration of vehicle audio systems more efficient and streamlined.
Automotive Cameras: Innovative Integrated Bridging Architecture — CIS with Embedded Serializer to Cut SerDes Count
Current automotive camera modules generally adopt a discrete bridging architecture with external SerDes, requiring a standalone serializer chip alongside each image sensor. As autonomous driving levels advance and vehicles carry more and higher-performance cameras, the limitations of this discrete approach become prominent, with urgent demands for optimization in PCB footprint, power consumption and signal integrity. Efficient transmission of massive video data inside shrinking camera modules operating under harsh conditions has become a key industry focus.
Driven by the development of the MIPI A-PHY standard, automotive camera architectures are undergoing a new round of evolution. The industry is exploring the integration of high-speed connectivity functions, traditionally implemented by external serializers, directly inside image sensors. Data converted from CMOS output is transmitted straight to the AD domain controller / central computing platform. Embedding serialization inside the image sensor eliminates discrete serializer chips, further boosting camera module integration, cutting power draw and heat generation, and simplifying manufacturing processes.
A CIS with integrated serializer means future vehicle cameras may no longer require standalone serializer chips. A single integrated device handles both light sensing and data transmission, delivering lower cost, smaller form factor, reduced power consumption and simpler transmission links.
From the vehicle-level perspective, embedding the serializer inside the CIS removes one IC as well as associated high-speed differential traces and power circuits within the module. It saves procurement cost for the SerDes chip, reduces aluminum heat sink material inside the module, and lowers reflow soldering cycle time and defect rates. For intelligent vehicles equipped with 8–12 cameras, such system-level cost reduction carries far greater impact than a marginal per-chip price cut. It brings tangible cost savings and weight reduction for camera lenses packaged in tight spaces such as rearview mirrors, fenders and B-pillars.
As camera SerDes migrates from “discrete add-on chip” to “sensor-embedded block”, the market for standalone SerDes chips will shrink substantially. When SerDes evolves from a separately sold hardware chip to an embedded IP block inside sensors, chip vendors currently focused on discrete SerDes will inevitably shift their revenue model from pure hardware margin to technology licensing, IP royalty sharing or co-development. They will either expand upstream into the sensor domain or tightly couple downstream with computing platforms. The traditional business model of simply selling paired SerDes chips will become increasingly unsustainable.
Current CIS+serializer integration initiatives are led by CIS vendors (Sony, onsemi, SmartSens, etc.). CIS suppliers are exploring “native link” solutions in partnership with A-PHY vendors. Despite remaining challenges in protocol compatibility and alignment with OEMs’ long-established communication ecosystems in the early stage, the trend toward interface integration is irreversible.
Take SmartSens’ CIS+ISP+SerDes integrated solution as an example. In September 2026, domestic CIS vendor SmartSens released SC365AT, the world’s first 3 MP automotive CMOS image sensor integrating SerDes and on-chip ISP. Built on SmartSens’ CARSens?-XR Gen 2 process platform, SC365AT adopts a 3.0 μm single-pixel design and stacked BSI architecture. Equipped with core technologies including CARLofic HDR? and LFS (LED Flicker Suppression), it delivers high frame rate, high sensitivity and wide dynamic range.
- Built-in SerDes: Effectively simplifies hardware design of automotive vision systems. No extra serializer chip is required, enabling end-to-end high-speed direct connection from CIS image capture to domain controller processing.
- On-chip ISP: Integrates self-developed LTM, PWL, CIP and other image processing algorithms, covering the full ISP pipeline across RAW, RGB and YUV domains. It optimizes dynamic range, noise suppression and color reproduction for complex in-vehicle lighting conditions.
- Deep collaboration between on-chip ISP and embedded automotive SerDes: Combines image acquisition, processing and transmission into one device, forming a complete high-speed link from optical input to serialized data output.
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