The new family of MAC-PHY devices connects low-cost microcontrollers without a built-in Ethernet MAC to a 10BASE-T1S Ethernet network.
Automotive designers are developing new sectional frameworks for in-vehicle applications using Ethernet technologies. This advancement allows low-velocity devices to integrate into conventional Ethernet networks, obviating the necessity for specialized communication infrastructures. Enlarging its range of car-approved Ethernet solutions, Microchip has launched the latest series of LAN8650/1 MAC-PHY devices suited for vehicular applications. The LAN8650 and LAN8651 MAC-PHY units comprise a Media Access Controller (MAC) and a Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI), facilitating connections with devices at the peripheries of automotive networks.
The company claims that the devices equipped with integrated MAC and SPI empower designers to link 8-, 16-, and 32-bit microcontrollers, which lack an inbuilt Ethernet MAC, to 10BASE-T1S Single Pair Ethernet (SPE) networks. Consequently, sensors and actuators facilitating the interaction between the digital sphere and the physical world can integrate into a unified Ethernet framework. Even with the most basic microcontrollers, this connectivity could diminish the total dimension and financial investment required for a design.
The press release says that the devices come equipped with Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) support, facilitating synchronized timing over expansive Ethernet networks, a feature vital for numerous automotive applications, including Advanced Driving Assistance Systems (ADAS). These devices adhere to the AEC-Q100 Grade 1 qualification standard, thus offering heightened resilience in harsh settings, notably accommodating an extensive operational temperature range of -40ºC to 125ºC. Moreover, they are primed for functional safety and aptly designed for utilization in ISO 26262 applications. Ethernet solutions are experiencing a surge in adoption in the automotive sector due to their entrenched security protocols that maintain network system security. Significantly, these systems can increase network peripheries without necessitating substantial modifications or fresh developments.
“Microchip continues to develop automotive connectivity solutions with its 10BASE-T1S products, providing the industry with turnkey solutions that meet customers’ requirements,” said Matthias Kaestner, corporate vice president of Microchip’s automotive business. “This new technology will connect sensors and actuators in the physical world to the cloud, enabling a seamless Ethernet architecture in vehicles, reducing development effort and time to market.”
