For smarter cars and simpler wiring, Microchip teams up with Hyundai Motor Group to trial Single Pair Ethernet for faster, scalable in-vehicle connectivity.
Microchip Technology has entered a collaboration with Hyundai Motor Group to trial advanced in-vehicle networking based on 10BASE-T1S Single Pair Ethernet, as carmakers race to modernise vehicle electronics for the software-defined era.
The partnership will focus on evaluating how Single Pair Ethernet can be deployed across future vehicle platforms, with early testing planned in electric and connected vehicle programmes.
The companies revealed that engineers from both firms will examine performance, reliability, and scalability to develop network architectures capable of supporting increasingly data-intensive systems, such as advanced driver-assistance, over-the-air updates, and vehicle-to-everything connectivity.
Single-Pair Ethernet offers an alternative by enabling multiple devices to communicate over a single twisted-pair cable, reducing physical complexity and extending Ethernet to sensors and actuators at the vehicle edge.
Under the agreement, Hyundai Motor Group will gain early access to Microchip’s Ethernet components and technical expertise to support prototype development and system validation.
The companies expect this early collaboration to shorten development timelines and reduce risk during the transition to new networking standards as vehicle architectures evolve.
Meanwhile, automotive manufacturers are under pressure to simplify complex wiring systems that have grown alongside the number of electronic control units inside modern vehicles. Traditional networks often rely on multiple communication standards, which increases weight, cost and integration challenges. The partnership aims to provide a solution to that.
Industry analysts say the move reflects a broader shift towards centralised computing platforms and zonal architectures, where reliable, high-bandwidth communication is essential.
As vehicles increasingly operate as connected digital platforms, robust in-vehicle networks are becoming a foundation for safety systems, automation and personalised services, they say.
Both partners believe their joint work will accelerate the commercial adoption of Single Pair Ethernet in production vehicles, enabling lighter wiring looms, more flexible system design, and improved readiness for future intelligent mobility features.
