Page 11 - 2020 Interconnect Innovations eBook

Digitalization is Driving Miniaturization in
Automotive Connectivity
Jeremy Stout, Director, Product Management, Transportation Solutions Business Unit, Molex
The automotive industry is entering a period of tremendous transformation. Current demands for increased bandwidth, enhanced safety, and sophisticated anti-hacking systems on autonomous platforms are driving exponential growth in the number of connectors used within vehicles. This uptick in demand means more connectors and cables now need to fit into smaller spaces, making miniaturization a critical feature for automotive connectivity solutions.
One of the greatest industry drivers prompting the adoption of smaller automotive connector systems is digital transformation. Modern vehicles no longer serve merely as modes of transport from point A to point B. Today’s cars, trucks, and SUVs have essentially become mobile offices — microcosms of connectivity that allow drivers to work, communicate, and entertain as they travel. This requires phones, tablets, laptops, and other electronic devices to connect to in-vehicle networks, driving the need for greater network sophistication and, in turn, more in-vehicle electronics in much denser packaging across an array of applications.
In addition to digital transformation, another trend accelerating the need for smaller connectors is growth in the autonomous and electric vehicle market. According to McKinsey, the automotive electronic and software market will see a strong growth through 2030, driven by power electronics, software, electronic drive units, and display and control units, and autonomous driving will fuel growth in the software and sensors segments, which are expected to reach 9% and 8%, respectively.
As demand for driverless technologies heats up, so too does the pressure to create safe, intuitive, and environmentally sound vehicles. This means manufacturers must rely heavily on electronic and digital technologies, including
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