Marelli & Microchip Pioneer Open Display Connectivity for Software-Defined Vehicles

Marelli and Microchip Technology are collaborating to deploy a standardized video transmission system based on the ASA Motion Link protocol. This hardware and software integration enables direct video streaming from centralized compute units to displays within automotive digital infrastructure.

Roles and the Operational Challenge
Automotive architectures are transitioning toward centralized computing, which requires robust data pipelines to manage multiple video streams. Traditional display architectures often rely on proprietary transmission protocols, leading to integration bottlenecks, limited supplier flexibility, and complex wiring. To address this, Marelli, an automotive components integrator, and Microchip Technology, a semiconductor manufacturer, are cooperating to establish an interoperable communication pipeline that reduces architectural complexity.

Technical Solution and Responsibilities
The joint system utilizes the Automotive SerDes Alliance Motion Link (ASA-ML) standard to transmit graphics and video content. Microchip supplies the transmission infrastructure through its VS7000 ASA-ML chipset, which handles the serialization of data from the central vehicle computer. Marelli manages the display-side integration by configuring the deserializer to decode these standardized video streams directly at the display terminal. The resulting architecture utilizes embedded link-layer authentication, encryption, and Forward Error Correction to ensure lossless data transmission in environments with high electromagnetic noise.

Deployment and System Integration
The technology is currently deployed as a demonstrator system for vehicle manufacturers evaluating next-generation electronic architectures. Marelli's engineering teams integrate the decoding hardware into display units, allowing them to interface directly with compute modules equipped with Microchip's serializers. This setup removes intermediate processing nodes and aligns with the industry shift toward Ethernet-centric vehicle networks, providing a verified testing ground for manufacturers.

Applications and Expected Impact
This display connectivity framework targets automotive manufacturers developing consolidated control systems for camera feeds, navigation maps, and infotainment graphics. By utilizing an open protocol capable of data rates up to 16 Gbps, manufacturers can source cockpit components from various providers without facing proprietary lock-in. Furthermore, the integration of embedded Time Division Duplex functionality lowers overall power consumption. This structural simplification yields measurable improvements in supply chain flexibility, hardware scalability, and power efficiency for future vehicle platforms.

Edited by Natania Lyngdoh, Induportals editor, assisted by AI.

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