Germany , 6th, April 2025
ZF Ltd, a German company that provides advanced mobility products and systems for passenger cars, commercial vehicles, and industrial technology, is betting big on fiber optics, Pro AI high performance computing, optical multi-gigabit Ethernet in accordance with the IEEE 802.3cz-2023 standard, and cable lengths of up to 40 meters for cars and commercial vehicles.
According to the company’s media statement, fiber optic technology is still on the verge of revolutionizing the automotive industry. ZF has upgraded its ProAI high-performance computer to support optical multi-gigabit Ethernet in automotive applications.
Newly developed chips and connectors enable data transmission over automotive-grade optical fibers under the IEEE 802.3cz specification. Their development partners for the aforementioned program include MD Elektronik, a German automotive supplier, and KD, a Spanish semiconductor company.
The company claims that fiber optics can be fully utilized in future generations of software-defined passenger vehicles, particularly for data-intensive networking of the central computer with ADAS sensors and infotainment systems.
Furthermore, fiber optics can be used in a variety of power domains, including connecting on-board networks to the powertrain, which eliminates the need for additional converters.
Fiber optics can be used to its full potential in commercial vehicles such as articulated buses, particularly over long transmission distances of up to 40 meters. This allows central computers in the front and back of the vehicle to communicate with ADAS sensors and drive components.
ZF has updated its ProAI high-performance computer for optical multi-gigabit Ethernet in automotive applications with newly developed chips and connectors that enable data transmission via automotive-grade optical fibers by the IEEE 802.3cz standard.
Oliver Briemle, ZF’s head of Cross-Domain Computing, elaborated: “This ultra-fast transmission is a key technology for future vehicle electrical systems in software-defined vehicles.” The technology allows for short and long-distance transmissions of up to 40 meters. Series production is possible as early as next year.
Briemle went on to say that optical multi-gigabit Ethernet provides significant benefits for a variety of vehicle classes. Intensive testing confirmed the technology’s suitability for use in cars, trucks, buses, and shuttles, as well as its robustness under a variety of operating conditions. The findings indicate that optical multi-gigabit Ethernet is a versatile and future-proof solution for data communication.
The automotive industry uses optical data transmission.
“Media Oriented Systems Transport,” or MOST for short, was introduced in the automotive industry around 20 years ago. These older systems used polymer fibers as the physical layer for data transmission. In contrast, new standards, such as IEEE 802.3cz-2023’s optical multi-gigabit Ethernet, are based on glass fibers, which provide higher bandwidth with lower losses.
ZF sees the following major benefits in the use of optical multi-gigabit Ethernet in the automotive industry:
- High data transfer rates: The standard allows for transfer rates of 2.5 Gbit/s, 5 Gbit/s, 10 Gbit/s, 25 Gbit/s, and 50 Gbit/s. These high speeds are critical for dealing with the increasing amounts of data generated by modern applications such as autonomous driving (ADAS), infotainment (IVI), and networked services.
- Increased transmission distance: The new standards allow for significantly longer transmission distances than older optical systems or copper-based data transmission systems used in automotive applications. Optical multi-gigabit Ethernet can transmit data over distances of up to 40 meters, making it ideal for both short- and long-distance applications in all types of vehicles.
- Weight savings: Fiber optics saves significantly more weight than copper cables, which helps to reduce fleet consumption.
- Reliability and longevity: Using optical fibers (OM3) in accordance with the IEEE 802.3cz-2023 standard increases the reliability and longevity of data transmission systems. Optical fibers are resistant to electromagnetic interference and provide stable data transmission even in extreme environmental conditions. Galvanically isolated data communication between different voltage levels is also possible. They are also more wear-resistant, allowing for prolonged use.
- Energy efficiency: Optical data transmission systems that adhere to the IEEE 802.3cz-2023 standard consume less energy than traditional copper-based systems. They require less energy for data transmission, resulting in lower overall energy consumption in the vehicle. This is especially important for modern automobiles, which rely heavily on energy efficiency.
- Scalable and future-proof: Optical multi-gigabit Ethernet is future-proof and scalable because it allows new high-performance computers (HPCs), electronic control units (ECUs), and multi-domain computers (MDCs) to be upgraded to faster data transmission speeds without requiring changes to existing optical cabling components. This makes it easier to integrate new technologies and functions into future vehicle generations while also ensuring that the systems meet increasing requirements.
- Lower costs due to high production volumes: The IEEE 802.3cz-2023 standard specifies OM3 optical fibers, which are already widely used and produced in large quantities. The current high production volumes of VCSELs (laser diodes) and photodiodes for use at the specified wavelengths are also extremely high. This results in cost savings in production and makes the technology economically viable for series use in the automotive industry.
- Improved communication channels: Optical multi-gigabit Ethernet provides near-ideal communication channels with minimal physical layer complexity. This results in lower equalization complexity, no echo cancellation,, and thus lower power consumption, lower latency, and more cost-effective solutions. A dedicated operations, administration, and maintenance (OAM) channel ensures high reliability and effective link management.
