This projected growth is driven by the increasing adoption of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), in-cabin control features, safety and comfort features (e.g., 360-degree surround view, power mirrors), and multi-screen digital cockpits for next-generation software-defined vehicles (SDVs). These applications will require more asymmetric raw video and data links and higher bandwidths, making current proprietary serializer/deserializer (SerDes) solutions commercially and technically unsuitable. In response to these developments, the Automotive SerDes Alliance (ASA) was formed in 2019 and published the first open standard specifications for ASA Motion Link (ASA-ML).
“This acquisition brings VSI’s team of experts, market traction, and ASA Motion Link technologies and products to Microchip’s broad automotive networking portfolio to better serve the ADAS megatrend we are focused on,” said Mitch Obolsky, senior vice president of Microchip’s automotive product, networking, and data center business units. “As the industry converges around three core pillars of IVN—Ethernet, PCIe®, and ASA Motion Link—camera and display connectivity is one of the largest and fastest-growing IVN markets. With VSI, Microchip can now offer products that span all three pillars and also provide automotive safety, microcontrollers, motor control, touch, and power management solutions to our customers to enable their next-generation, software-defined vehicle architectures.”
Currently, the ASA has over 145 members, including Microchip, a founding member. With 11 automakers, including BMW, GM, Ford, Stellantis, and Hyundai-Kia Motors Corporation, the Alliance also encompasses an ecosystem ranging from Tier 1 suppliers, semiconductor vendors, and imagers to testing and compliance companies. In addition to being an open standard, ASA-ML provides data link layer security and scalability to support line speeds from 2 Gbps to 16 Gbps. Furthermore, the upcoming specification update will enable ASA-ML to support Ethernet-based architectures.
“Microchip Technology is an established and trusted leader in the automotive networking market, known for its quality and robust supply chain, and our team is thrilled to join them in addressing the growing market for ADAS and digital cockpit connectivity,” said Steve Kang, CEO of VSI Co. Ltd. “VSI is a leader in the development of ASA-ML products and was the first to bring them to market. Our standards-compliant chipsets are being evaluated by automakers around the world. We recently collaborated with BMW on a proof of concept to showcase ASA-ML and the readiness of our products. This acquisition unites two organizations that share a commitment to advancing technology through innovation. We look forward to successfully deploying our solutions in production vehicles in the coming years.”
In March 2024, the BMW Group announced at the Automotive Ethernet Congress in Munich that it would switch to using the standardized ASA-ML for the next phase of production. BMW has always been at the forefront of innovation in in-vehicle networking and firmly believes in leveraging standardized technologies in its vehicle architectures and now also in its video architecture.
