Over the past decade, A²B has been adopted in the automotive industry, with hundreds of millions of nodes in circulation from more than 35 car manufacturers, laying a solid foundation for the next evolution of the technology.
Built for applications where low deterministic latency is a key system requirement, A²B was designed to support demanding use cases, such as road noise cancellation and in-vehicle communications, through a simple, flexible, and cost-effective approach to audio connectivity. Its daisy-chain architecture, with one master node and multiple subnodes, reduces wiring complexity and associated costs by up to 75%. The simplified architecture, with no software overhead, also reduces overall development time and investment for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and Tier 1 suppliers.
A²B's momentum is bolstered by an ecosystem encompassing original equipment manufacturers, semiconductor partners, and original design manufacturers (ODMs), supported by a comprehensive suite of development and testing tools that accelerate time to market.
The shift to modern vehicle networks and software-defined vehicle (SDV) architectures:
As vehicles move to software-defined architectures, cabin features are increasingly delivered and enhanced through software, raising the bar for high-bandwidth, deterministic connectivity that can seamlessly integrate with modern vehicle networks. As cabin technology becomes a key differentiator for automakers, expectations for high-end audio and infotainment continue to rise, ultimately driving demand for higher bandwidth, advanced connectivity, and seamless integration with existing vehicle networks.
“Audio is fundamental to how drivers perceive refinement, safety, and responsiveness within the vehicle, especially as cockpits become more software-defined,” said Yasmine King, corporate vice president and head of ADI’s automotive business unit. “In this new era, engineers need audio connectivity that integrates seamlessly with the overall vehicle network. A²B 2.0 delivers increased bandwidth, low latency, and Ethernet tunneling without adding architectural complexity.”.
A²B 2.0: Designed for next-generation habitat and SDV architectures,
A²B 2.0 extends the A²B platform with increased bandwidth and Ethernet support, while maintaining the simple, low-latency architecture that customers rely on. Key capabilities include:
• Performance and Scalability:
4x increased bandwidth (up to 98.3 Mbps, full duplex) to support more advanced onboard audio architectures.
Support for up to 119 upstream and 119 downstream audio channels to enable advanced car audio system configurations.
• Ethernet Support:
Ethernet data tunneling via the industry-standard Open Alliance SPI (OASPI) interface for enhanced connectivity and flexibility.
• Efficiency, Latency, and Upgrade Path:
Up to 30% reduction in system cost through greater functional integration and fewer external circuits and components.
Low, deterministic latency, including a remarkable low latency of 62 μs and an architecture designed for easy integration.
Compatibility with existing A²B 1.0 cabling and connector infrastructure, enabling a straightforward upgrade path.
In addition, ADAA245x devices can easily connect to A2B 1.0 networks, maximizing the reuse of existing modules.
A2B 2.0: EMPOWERING ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS WITH THE NEXT EVOLUTION IN AUTOMOTIVE AUDIO
By Andrew Lanfear, General Manager, Automotive Audio and Networking at Analog Devices
As a comprehensive systems provider for the automotive industry, ADI leads the way in meeting the growing demands of in-car audio with integrated solutions encompassing A2B, processing, power, inertial MEMS, and advanced algorithms such as ADI LISTN™.
Building on this proven legacy, A2B 2.0—launching globally in Spring 2026—will transform the audio network into an “Internet-connected infotainment highway,” offering four times the bandwidth of A2B 1.0 and enabling audio architects to deliver in-cabin experiences previously thought impossible. Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and Tier 1 suppliers in the automotive industry now have the means to realize cutting-edge applications without the bottlenecks that have limited innovation in the past.
A2B 2.0 Enhancements:
Four times greater audio bandwidth supports 119 full-duplex audio channels.
Ethernet connectivity via the industry-standard OASPI interface for direct integration into SDV networks.
Up to 30% system cost savings through greater functional integration and simplified external circuitry.
Improved EMC performance meets stringent automotive industry requirements.
A2B 2.0 is designed for seamless integration into evolving SDV architectures and supports Ethernet tunneling, making it a future-proof solution that easily integrates with the growing Ethernet backbones found in SDVs.
The enhanced A2B 2.0 range underscores ADI's commitment to high-performance, experience-driven automotive design that drives wider adoption. The platform offers user-friendly evaluation tools and delivers system cost savings of up to 30%, helping OEMs achieve both engineering efficiency and commercial success. High-end
Audio and Telematics
: RNC,
PSZ.
The enhanced capabilities of A2B 2.0 enable automakers to incorporate more immersive audio technologies, such as AVAS (Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System), RNC (Road Noise Cancellation), and PSZ (Personal Sound Zones), while the RTM (Remote Tuner Module) reduces wiring.
