On Monday, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) announced the formation of a study group on reduced twisted pair Gigabit Ethernet. The group will look at whether to develop a standard that would deliver performance as high as the current Gigabit Ethernet over cables with fewer wires inside, a goal considered important for in-car networks.

Ethernet is starting to emerge as a key automotive technology as cars are equipped with more entertainment and communication options, plus safety features such as rear-view video cameras. Though cellular and satellite communications are increasingly important to link a car to the world outside, and Bluetooth and Wi-Fi have roles inside, such as for hands-free phone use, some data transfers in a car still need to happen over wires.

Wireless networks are affected by too many performance variables, including interference, to be used for linking electronics in cars, according to Kevin Brown, vice president and general manager of chip maker Broadcom's Ethernet Transceiver Business Unit. High speed, low latency and reliability are critical for transmitting signals among different parts of the car, especially for safety-related functions, he said at a Broadcom event in December.

Broadcom already offers equipment for a thin-cable version of 100Mbps Ethernet, which is supported by a group called the Open Alliance Special Interest Group that includes BMW, Hyundai, car component maker Bosch and other automakers and partners, Brown said on Monday. Cars with that technology will hit the market next year, he said. But as cars' electronic capabilities evolve, Gigabit Ethernet is likely to be needed within a few years, he added.

As future vehicles are designed, the number of possible electronic features is growing to include multiple outside cameras, more sophisticated control systems and better platforms for driver information, entertainment and navigation. Today, in-car networks typically use specialized, proprietary wiring for different connections around the car. It would be easier to incorporate new systems if cars had standard Ethernet networks that each component could plug into, according to Brown.