Finding
Cameras and central computers pushed vehicle backbones from CAN to Ethernet, with Time-Sensitive Networking keeping control traffic on schedule
For decades, vehicle controllers talked over CAN at up to 1 megabit per second and LIN at 20 kilobits. That was enough for switches and sensors, not for eight cameras and a central computer exchanging gigabits. Software-defined vehicles use an automotive Ethernet backbone at 1-10 gigabits per second between zonal controllers and central compute, with CAN FD and the new 10BASE-T1S multidrop Ethernet for local devices.
Ethernet alone does not guarantee timing, so Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) standards add scheduling and priority so a brake command arrives on time even while video streams share the cable. The same evolution is underway in factories (from fieldbuses to industrial Ethernet with TSN) and in depots and microgrids, where controllers coordinate chargers, batteries and meters over Ethernet and cellular links.
Networks
Network types
| Network | Bandwidth | Use |
|---|---|---|
| LIN | 20 kbit/s | Simple body functions: windows, seats |
| CAN / CAN FD | 1 / ~8 Mbit/s | Powertrain, chassis, legacy ECUs |
| 10BASE-T1S | 10 Mbit/s, multidrop | Replacing CAN for zone-to-device links |
| Automotive Ethernet | 100 Mbit/s-10 Gbit/s | Backbone, cameras, central compute |
| TSN | Scheduling on Ethernet | Deterministic control traffic |
Sources
Sources and scope
- Scope
- SDS Networking
- Sources
- IEEE 802.3 (automotive Ethernet, 10BASE-T1S); ISO 11898 (CAN); IEEE 802.1 TSN
- Updated
- October 2026