Microchip Technology and Marelli have demonstrated a display connectivity solution using ASA Motion Link (ASA-ML), an open Automotive SerDes Alliance standard, to stream cockpit graphics from a vehicle’s central computer. The demonstrator gives automakers an alternative to proprietary display connectivity as software-defined vehicle (SDV) architectures centralise compute.

The Automotive SerDes Alliance (ASA), a consortium of automakers, suppliers and chipmakers, maintains ASA-ML for interoperable video transmission. Microchip, a founding ASA member, handles the transmit side via the VS7000; Marelli integrates the ASA-ML deserialiser at the display.

The solution supports up to 16 Gbps with embedded link-layer authentication and encryption. Time-division duplex also reduces power draw, supporting a path to Ethernet-centric architectures.

For automakers pressed to contain costs as SDV architectures centralise, ASA-ML offers sourcing flexibility over proprietary display-link technologies. Marelli’s display-side role extends its footprint in the SDV supply chain.

In a statement, Kevin So, Vice President of Microchip’s communications business unit, said: “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.”

Why this matters:

• Open standards reduce automakers’ dependence on any single display supplier.By adopting ASA Motion Link over proprietary connectivity, Microchip and Marelli let vehicle makers mix and match display components across vendors, reducing the lock-in risk that comes with single-source proprietary systems as cockpit architectures grow more complex.
• Centralising graphics processing shifts cost and complexity away from individual displays.Streaming camera feeds, navigation and infotainment content from one central computer rather than processing it separately at each screen suggests automakers can simplify display-side hardware, potentially cutting per-unit costs across a vehicle’s growing number of screens.
• Positioning this within Ethernet-centric architecture points toward where in-vehicle networking is heading long-term.Building the standard with an explicit path toward Ethernet suggests Microchip and Marelli expect this connectivity approach to extend beyond current SerDes implementations as vehicle electrical architectures continue consolidating around unified networking backbones.