Marelli and Microchip develop open-standard display connectivity solution for software-defined vehicles

Marelli and Microchip have collaborated to develop an open-standard display connectivity solution for software-defined vehicles, marking a significant step forward in the automotive industry's transition to more flexible and scalable electronic architectures.

The new solution, known as ASA Motion Link, is an open standard for automotive video connectivity and serializer-deserializer (SerDes) communication. Defined by the Automotive SerDes Alliance (ASA), a global consortium of vehicle manufacturers, Tier 1 suppliers, and semiconductor companies, ASA Motion Link enables secure, high-speed video and graphics transmission across products from multiple technology providers. This standard supports greater compatibility across the automotive ecosystem and provides a scalable alternative to proprietary video transmission technologies.

Microchip, a founding member of the ASA, has demonstrated broad interoperability with its camera solutions and is now extending these solutions to enable display connectivity. The company's VS7000 ASA-ML chipset plays a key role in processing and transmitting graphics and video content generated by the vehicle's central computer over a high-speed standardized link.

Marelli has pioneered the display-side integration of the technology, configuring and optimizing the ASA ML deserializer to decode standardized video streams directly at the display. This ensures accurate reception, synchronization, and delivery of centrally generated content, including camera feeds, navigation maps, infotainment graphics, and vehicle control interfaces. By doing so, Marelli is enabling simplified display-side electronic architectures.

"Transitioning to software-defined vehicles is driving demand for more open, flexible, and scalable electronic architectures," said Kelei Shen, President of Marelli's Electronics business. "As an integrator within the automotive ecosystem, Marelli brings together best-in-class technologies from multiple partners to deliver complete solutions for vehicle manufacturers. This collaboration highlights how open standards can accelerate innovation while providing the interoperability needed for the next generation of vehicle architectures."

Kevin So, Vice President of Microchip's Communications business unit, added, "Open standards play a critical role in accelerating innovation by reducing dependency on proprietary technologies. Our collaboration with Marelli demonstrates how ASA Motion Link provides automotive manufacturers with a secure, interoperable, and scalable connectivity solution that simplifies integration across the ecosystem."

Key features of ASA Motion Link include open interoperability, greater supplier flexibility, integrated security, robust data transmission, scalable performance, and optimized efficiency. The solution supports data rates up to 16 Gbps, addressing a range of display requirements and paving the way for increasingly Ethernet-centric vehicle architectures.

This collaboration underscores the importance of open standards in in-vehicle networking and electronics, supporting secure communication between centralized computing systems and displays. It also reflects Marelli's broader commitment to adopting open standards that simplify development, optimize system costs, and promote a more open automotive ecosystem.

About Marelli: Marelli is a global mobility technology supplier to the automotive industry with a strong track record in innovation and manufacturing excellence. The company's mission is to transform the future of mobility through working with customers and partners to create a safer, greener, and better-connected world. With around 40,000 employees worldwide, Marelli operates over 150 sites globally.

About Microchip Technology: Microchip Technology Inc. is a broadline supplier of semiconductors committed to making innovative design easier through total system solutions that address critical challenges at the intersection of emerging technologies and durable end markets. Its comprehensive product portfolio supports customers throughout the design process, from concept to completion. Headquartered in Chandler, Arizona, Microchip offers outstanding technical support and delivers solutions across the industrial, automotive, consumer, aerospace and defense, communications, and computing markets.