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The increasing features and complexity of today's automotive architectures are becoming increasingly difficult to manage. Each new innovation typically requires additional mechanical actuators and associated electrical controllers. The sheer number of black boxes and wiring are being limited not by features or cost but by the inability to physically assemble them into a vehicle. A new architecture is required which will support the ability to add new features but also enable the Vehicle Assembly Plants to easily assemble and test each subsystem. One such architecture is a distributed multiplex arrangement that reduces the number of wires while enabling flexibility and expandability. Previous versions have had to deal with issues such as noise immunity at high switching currents. The LIN Bus with its low cost and rail-to-rail capability may be the key enabling technology to make the multiplexed architecture a reality.

The current SAE classification system for serial data communication protocols encompasses Class A, Class B, and Class C categories. Because of the proliferation of applications and new protocols these three groups are not enough. This paper will introduce and discuss several new categories which are Diagnostics, SafetyBus, Mobile Media, and X-by-Wire. The serial data protocols that fall under these categories are for the most part brand new and will serve distinct and unique tasks. All existing common vehicular multiplex protocols (approximately 40) will be categorized using the SAE convention plus the new groupings. Top contenders will be pointed out along with a discussion of the protocol in the best position to become the industry standard in each category. Future vehicle applications having up to seven different data networks will be presented.