Clear the way for Single Pair Ethernet

Images

The IEC-63171-7-ED2 standard, initiated by the Profibus User Organization (PNO), is a new industry standard that forms an important basis for the further development and success of SPE. © Rosenberger

Single Pair Ethernet (SPE) has already become established in the automotive industry in recent years. Increasing networking in the "software-defined vehicle" requires secure, compact cabling in the tightest of spaces in the vehicle that connects sensors and controllers for autonomous driving, battery management and driver assistance systems. As a partner to OEMs, Rosenberger has accompanied this paradigm shift since 2012 and helped develop the protocols for the automotive connector. This experience has also been incorporated into the current standardization process and is reflected in the new hybrid connector standard IEC 63171-7 (ED2), which will soon form the basis for future interoperability.

Uniform mating face strengthens the spread of SPE

The IEC 63171-7 ED2 standard defines a universal mating face for applications in control cabinets and in the field. © Rosenberger

The IEEE 802.3 standard describes the SPE protocols for automotive, transportation and for factory, building and process automation in terms of physical layer and data transmission speeds. While 25 gigabits per second are required in the automotive industry due to the high data volumes, this would be oversized in the building industry, for example. For up to 80 percent of industrial use cases, 10 Mbit is sufficient, with 100 Mbit almost all cases can be covered. Different distances are also taken into account by the respective protocols: While sensors in greenhouses or chemical parks need to work together over hundreds of meters or several kilometers, only very short cable distances are required in a machine, plant or robot.

Based on earlier standardization efforts, there is already a whole range of standardized industrial connectors for SPE, which are described in the IEC 63171 sub-standards. They are suitable for different application scenarios, although some of them overlap. In addition, there are many non-standardized connectors on the market. This leads to a great deal of complexity for both manufacturers and operators. The associated uncertainty prompted many companies to wait and see. At the end of 2024, the Profibus User Organization (PNO) announced that it wanted to standardize a uniform, hybrid connector face with IEC 63171-7 (ED2) and define it as an industry standard. This should make it possible to universally cover all application scenarios, even in protected areas. From Rosenberger's point of view, this is in line with previous development work in the automotive industry, for which connectors are already being mass-produced fully automatically (300 million in 2024): With the "High-Speed Modular Twisted Pair Data", a single-panel connector for high data rates that is fully shielded has been available here since 2016. The connector recommended by the PNO in the future is very similar to this connector developed for the automotive industry, particularly in terms of size and shielding.

The right moment to evaluate SPE

The current standardization process, in which the key players have already agreed on a design, should result in a CDV standard by the end of 2025 - and then usher in the interoperability that the market wants and needs. The fact that many companies are already waiting in the wings shows the great interest on the customer side and the palpable relief that the "connector drama" is coming to an end. For many, however, SPE is still uncharted territory and there is a considerable need for advice: after all, it remains an important aspect to precisely analyze the respective use case and, based on this, to select the appropriate physical layer and protocol in order to work out the greatest possible benefits.

Every new technology takes time to gain a foothold in the market. However, the automotive industry is a good example of how quickly SPE can establish itself due to its advantages. The current economic downturn with less well-filled order books could provide the necessary breathing space to invest more resources in dealing with the new technology. Now is the right time for anyone in the company who is involved in data communication to get to grips with SPE. Manufacturers in particular should evaluate what advantages SPE will bring for the next product generations in order to increase their competitiveness.

Thomas Keller, Product Manager Industries at Rosenberger Hochfrequenztechnik