Functions of Network Cables in New Energy Vehicles

Functions of Network Cables in New Energy Vehicles
Network cables used in new energy vehicles are mainly automotive-grade single-pair twisted cables (100/1000BASE‑T1, STP shielded / UTP unshielded). Serving as the data nerve backbone of the vehicle’s electronic and electrical architecture, they differ from household Ethernet cables with outstanding resistance to extreme temperatures and high-voltage electromagnetic interference.

1. ADAS & Autonomous Driving: High-speed Data Transmission for Sensors (Core Application)
Link high-definition cameras, millimeter-wave radars and LiDARs to feed real-time images and point cloud data to ADAS domain controllers. HD cameras require bandwidth from 500 Mbps to 6 Gbps, which cannot be supported by conventional CAN bus.
Adopt TSN (Time-Sensitive Networking) for microsecond-level clock synchronization to align data from multiple sensors and avoid wrong autonomous driving decisions.
Support PoDL (Power over Data Line): one single cable transmits both data and power for sensors to cut extra power cords and realize lightweight wiring.
2. Intelligent Cockpit: Multi-screen Interconnection & Audio-visual Interaction
Enable data exchange of 4K video, navigation and audio among central control screen, full LCD instrument, AR-HUD and rear-seat entertainment screens for screen casting and image switching.
Connect 5G/V2X modules to central gateway to realize connected car functions: online navigation, cloud media download and V2X vehicle-road coordination.
3. Three-Electric System Monitoring (Exclusive for NEV: Battery, Motor, E-Control)
BMS (Battery Management System): Collect cell voltage, temperature and insulation data and upload to VCU (Vehicle Control Unit) to prevent thermal runaway and abnormal voltage deviation of power batteries.
Link motor controllers, OBC on-board chargers and DC-DC converters to feed back motor rotation speed, charging power and fault codes for unified power output regulation by the whole-vehicle controller.
Fast-charging communication: negotiate charging voltage/current, start/stop fast charging and realize V2G vehicle-to-grid bidirectional power transmission between vehicle and charging piles per GB/T / CCS standards.
4. Whole-Vehicle OTA Upgrade & Fault Diagnosis
High-speed remote OTA flashing: Deliver large firmware packages for domain controllers via Ethernet cables; upgrade efficiency is dozens of times higher than CAN-based upgrade to shorten update duration.
DoIP protocol via OBD port: repair equipment quickly reads full-vehicle fault codes and calibrates electronic control parameters for offline factory inspection and programming.
5. Centralized Domain Networking for Weight Reduction & Energy Saving
Act as the vehicle’s core LAN backbone to connect autonomous driving domain, cockpit domain, power domain and body domain. Replace hundreds of traditional CAN wires to reduce harness weight by 30%~50%, cut curb weight and improve driving range.
Central gateway converts protocols between Ethernet and CAN/LIN to unify communication standards and simplify wiring & assembly.
Common Automotive Ethernet Specifications
100BASE‑T1 100Mbps UTP: low-speed sensors, ordinary cameras and body control
1000BASE‑T1 1Gbps STP: LiDAR, front binocular cameras & inter-domain connection (STP shielding mandatory for high-electromagnetic engine bay and chassis)
2.5G/5G/10G Multi-Gig STP: high-level autonomous driving with multiple LiDAR configurations