ADAS and Connected Driving BASE-AU Paves the Way for Optical Cameras

Related Vendors

FAULHABER Drive Systems

Wuxi InfiMotion Technology Co., Ltd.

With increasing image quality, higher frame rates, and more data channels, traditional vehicle networks quickly reach their performance limits. This is precisely where BASE-AU comes in. Robust, scalable, and future-proof, the new optical Ethernet standard, developed according to IEEE 802.3cz, delivers the necessary bandwidth and performance to unlock the full potential of optical cameras.

Automated driving, intelligent assistance systems, connected mobility—modern vehicles are rolling data centers. At the heart of this evolution are high-resolution optical cameras. They are the eyes of the onboard artificial intelligence, providing critical real-time image data for object detection, driver monitoring, and decision-making. What began as a comfort feature is now indispensable for vehicle safety: modern cars integrate 8, 16, or even more cameras, ensuring a 360-degree view, digital mirrors, interior monitoring, and much more. These cameras are no longer merely passive image providers—they are highly precise sensors and essential components of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving functions. Their data determines braking distances, lane-keeping, or hazard avoidance in milliseconds—and thus the safety on the road.

For camera systems to fully deliver their benefits, they must transmit enormous amounts of data in real-time and without delay—especially for uncompressed video streams. This places the highest demands on the physical transmission layer:

• Lossless transmission of uncompressed video for maximum image quality
• Reliability and robustness under extreme conditions such as heat, vibration, or electromagnetic interference
• Long distances between camera, control unit, and computing unit—without compromising quality

BASE-AU was designed for these challenges.

Ideal Solution for the Integration of Optical Cameras

BASE-AU offers various advantages that make the standard the ideal solution for the integration of optical cameras.

Developed for automotive environments

BASE-AU components are qualified for operation under extreme temperatures and vibrations, making them ideal for camera modules in mirrors, bumpers, or behind windshields.

Optimized for large optical connections

Using automotive-qualified multimode glass fibers and generous connection margins, BASE-AU enables transmissions of up to 40 meters (approx. 130 ft)—perfect for zonal architectures where cameras are farther away from central computing units.

Compact integration

In contrast to conventional SFP optics, BASE-AU transceivers can be directly integrated into camera PCBs or ECUs thanks to their compact single-chip design, which supports board-to-board or board-to-cable connections. This simplifies mechanical integration and reduces the overall complexity of the system. Integration into camera modules with an interior surface of 19 by 19 mm (approx. 0.7 by 0.7 inches) is thus possible.

Low power consumption

In terms of energy efficiency, the transceiver consumes no more than 1 W during bidirectional transmission of 10 Gbit/s, which represents a reduction of 30 to 50 percent compared to equivalent electrical solutions. This low power profile is essential to overcome the thermal constraints in compact and sealed enclosures within the vehicle.

Low latency

Real-time functions, such as emergency braking or pedestrian detection, rely on data from optical cameras. They benefit from deterministic BASE-AU communication with low latency, which meets strict functional safety requirements. BASE-AU offers a communication latency of less than 1 µs and an end-to-end video latency of less than 18 µs at 10 Gbit/s. As data rates increase, latency is further reduced thanks to the higher system clock frequency, enabling even faster response times for critical applications.

Excursion Into Other Industries: Transition From Copper to Fiber Optics

The emergence of BASE-AU in the automotive industry mirrors a broader historical shift in other industries that have already transitioned from copper to optical systems. In telecommunications, switching from twisted-pair copper cables to optical fibers enabled a massive leap in bandwidth and distance, allowing ISPs to meet the demands of streaming and cloud computing.

Today, data centers that were previously reliant on copper connections almost universally use fiber optics for high-speed connections between servers, switches, and storage arrays. Optical networks enable hyperscale data centers to process terabits of data with low latency and high energy efficiency.

Even in industrial automation, sectors such as aerospace and the rail industry have turned to optical fibers to ensure signal integrity and reliability in harsh environments.

The automotive industry is currently at a similar turning point. With gigabit-level data from cameras, lidar, and radar, as well as increasing expectations for reliability, copper simply cannot keep up. BASE-AU delivers the same leap in performance and stability that fiber optics once brought to telecommunications and data centers, tailored specifically to the unique requirements of vehicles.

BASE-AU for Backbone: The Optical Nervous System in the Vehicle

While cameras are the "eyes" of the car, the backbone represents its nervous system. It connects zonal gateways, domain controllers, and central computing units throughout the vehicle. Here too, BASE-AU plays a crucial role.

In centralized and zonal architectures, where high-bandwidth data from various sensors converge and need to be processed efficiently, BASE-AU enables:

• High-speed connections between processing zones (e.g., from the front zone to the central processing unit)
• Optical redundancy paths to ensure fail-safe behavior in the event of a single point of failure
• Use of the same cable harnesses to reduce weight and complexity at different speeds (10, 25, and up to 50 Gbit/s)

By supporting large connections and being EMI-immune, BASE-AU is ideal for installation in the vehicle chassis. It minimizes electromagnetic interference from high-voltage components and ensures clean communication between the main data processing areas.

Compared to traditional backbones based on coaxial or shielded twisted-pair cables, optical backbones with BASE-AU transceivers are lighter, thinner, more scalable, and future-proof. This is crucial for EV platforms, where reduced weight directly impacts range and performance.

BASE-AU Transceiver: Functional for Integration and Safety

BASE-AU transceivers not only perform optoelectronic conversion but also feature functions tailored to the specific requirements of the automotive industry. KD725X is a family of BASE-AU transceivers currently under development by the Spanish fabless semiconductor company KD.

Horizontal and vertical integration

The KD725X transceivers are available in both horizontal and vertical configurations, enabling integration into various form factors. Horizontal versions are ideal for camera modules, while vertical versions are optimal for backbone or zonal gateway applications. This mechanical flexibility allows Tier-1s and OEMs to standardize on a single transceiver platform.

Sensor aggregation

Via internal SerDes interfaces, the transceiver supports sensor aggregation. This enables multiple camera streams or sensor data sources to be combined on a single optical BASE-AU connection. The advantages are significant:

• Fewer cables: The system requires fewer fibers and connectors, reducing the weight and complexity of the cable harness.
• Simplified control units: A single ECU interface can manage multiple sensor inputs.
• Cost and energy efficiency: One optical connection replaces multiple copper connections and saves I/O power and board space.

Aggregation enables a more scalable architecture. This is particularly beneficial in mirror replacement cameras or cabin monitoring systems, where data from multiple low-resolution cameras needs to be transmitted efficiently.

Signal replication for redundancy

Another outstanding feature is signal replication. With the KD725X, the electrical output of the deserialized signal can be sent to another transceiver, which then regenerates the optical signal and transmits it over a second fiber. This function offers:

• Optical path redundancy: essential for security applications that require fail-safe communication
• Loop-through topologies: useful for linking control devices or camera modules in ring or mesh configurations
• Testing and diagnostics: enables data streams to be tapped without interrupting the primary connection

From a pure transport layer, BASE-AU evolves into a smarter and more modular network component, benefiting dynamic vehicle architectures.

Smarter Eyes: Faster Reflexes

As the "eyes" of future vehicles, cameras can only be as powerful as the networks that connect them. With BASE-AU, automakers and suppliers have access to a specially developed optical Ethernet solution that meets the stringent mechanical, thermal, and electromagnetic requirements of the industry. Whether for driver monitoring, side mirrors, environmental perception, or backbone integration, BASE-AU enables visual real-time intelligence and robust zonal networking in the vehicle like never before. (se)

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