Lecture 2.

Basics
of networking in
automotive systems: Network
topologies, communication principles and
standardised protocols
Objectives
• Introduce basic concepts used in building networks for
automotive embedded systems

Main Reference
[2] Robert Bosch GmbH, Bosch Automotive Electrics
and Automotive Electronics: Systems and Components,
Networking and Hybrid Drive, 5th edition, Springer Vieweg,
2014.

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 Complex in-vehicle networks

In vehicle network of an Audi A8 2010 (Adapted after the AUDI A8 Service repair manual)
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Networking requirements
• Data rate – Data volume transmitted in the time unit
• Interference immunity – Communication has to withstand
interference from electromagnetic effects present in the
automotive environment
• Real-time capabilities
• Soft real-time requirements – The system generally conforms to the
specified response time. Occasionally exceeding these timings has no
considerable effects
• Hard real-time requirements – Timing requirements are strict.
Exceeding limitation can potentially cause to safety-critical issues
• Number of network nodes – Some subsystems may require a
large number of nodes to achieve expected functionality

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Network topology
Network topology – the structure of a network consisting of
nodes and interconnections.

The communication requirements of all nodes of a designed

system dictate on the network topology

All network topologies are derived from four basic topologies:

• Bus topology
• Star topology
• Ring topology
• Mesh topology

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Bus topology
• Also known as a linear bus
• All nodes connected to a single cable through tap lines called
stubs
• Messages are directly received by all nodes
Advantages:
• Adding new network nodes is easy
• Failure of one node does not impede communication between other
nodes
Disadvantages:
• A defective main line leads to network failure

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Star topology
• Consists of a main node/hub to which all other nodes are connected
• All nodes send data to the main node
• Star topologies are suitable for safety and security applications
• Star topology types:
• Active – main node performs processing and message relaying
• Passive – main node only connects node lines together
Advantages:
• Adding new network nodes is easy
• If one node (not main) fails the rest of the network continues to function
Disadvantages:
• A defective main node disables the entire network

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Ring topology
• Each node is connected to its two neighbours
• Ring topology types:
• Single ring – messages sent in one direction from one station to the next
one until it reaches its destination or is sent back to its origin
• Double ring – transmission is bidirectional
Advantages:
• Failure of one node in a double ring does not disable communication
Disadvantages:
• A defective node in single rings prevents message transfer beyond it
• Several defective nodes will also disable a double ring

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Mesh topology
• Each node is directly connected to one or more nodes
• In a full mesh each node is connected to all other nodes
• Radio networks are a type of mesh topology – a message
transmitted by one node is received by all nodes within range

Advantages:
• If one connection fails the message can be rerouted
• Offers a high degree of reliability
Disadvantages:
• Higher implementation costs

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Hybrid topologies
• When none of the basic technologies can accommodate the
system requirements hybrid topologies are employed
• Example hybrid topologies:
• Star-bus topology – the hubs of several star sub-networks are
connected to a main bus
• Bus-star topology – the main line of several bus sub-networks are
connected to a main star hub
• Star-ring topology – the main nodes of several star sub-networks are
connected in a ring

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Communication principles
• OSI reference model
• Addressing
• Medium access
• Event-triggered/time triggered communication

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OSI reference model
• Communication protocols are described using a
layered approach
• The ISO OSI model is also used as a reference in
the automotive area
• Simpler communication systems do not require all
OSI layers
• Automotive protocols usually only define several
layers:
• Physical layer
• Communication layer
• Application/User layer

(after Bosch [2], pp.76)

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Physical layer
• Symbol - the basic logical element used to build messages
• Physical layer
• Describes the electrical characteristics of the communication –
physical signalling
• Specifies the physical signalling behaviour corresponding to logical
symbols (most protocols only use two symbols: logical ‘1’ and ‘0’)
• If the implementation allows one level to overwrite another line
level, the overwriting level is referred to as dominant, while the
other level is called recessive

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Communication and user layers
• Communication layer
• Transforms the data received from the application layer in a format that
will be used for the actual transmission of the message by the physical
layer
• Describes the logical aspects of the protocol
• Handles:
• Frame format
• Media access control
• Collision detection and handling
• Node synchronization
• Error detection and handling

• User layer
• The application side that processes and provides transmission data
• User defined

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Addressing
• Information that accompanies the data in order to indicate the
message destination
• Addressing modes:
• Subscriber-oriented
• The message contains the data and the address of the destination node (e.g.
Ethernet).
• Only the indicated receiver node evaluates the message
• Message-oriented
• The message contains the data and a message identifier that indicates the
message type
• All receivers that use a certain message type will evaluate it on reception
• Transmission-oriented
• Transmission characteristics are used to identify message content (e..g. a
message sent in a specified time slot)
• This addressing type is often used together with subscriber or message-oriented
addressing [2]

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Medium access
• Medium access methods can be:
• Predictable
• medium access is done in specified point in time
• collisions are prevented
• Random
• medium access can be achieved at any point in time as long as the medium is
free
• collision resolution methods need to be implemented
• Medium access principles:
• Time division multiple access (TDMA) – Message transmission
takes place in specified time slots according to a fixed schedule
• Master-slave – The master node determines when messages are
transmitted by interrogating slave nodes
• Multimaster – Several nodes that can access the medium at any time
provided no other transmission is ongoing.

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Event-triggered communication
• Nodes attempt to transmit messages once an event set to
trigger the transmission has occurred
• This communication model requires collision detection and
message prioritisation methods

• Advantages:
• New nodes are easily retrofitted in the network
• Fast response time to random events
• Network time is not pre-allocated to transmissions that may not occur
• Disadvantages:
• Due to non deterministic network access transmission time for a
certain messages cannot be known

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Time-triggered communication
• Especially used in system that require a high degree of
reliability (e.g. X-by-wire)
• Assures that messages are received within specified time limits
• Incorporate redundant design
• Required precise time synchronization between nodes

• Advantages:
• The system is deterministic
• Timely message transmission is assured
• Defective nodes are efficiently detected and isolated
• Disadvantages:
• Requires a priory system planning including future expansions
• Response to asynchronous events is deferred to an allocated time slot

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Protocols for in-vehicle communication

(from Bosch [2], pp. 82)

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 Automotive protocols classification
Class Transfer rates Applications Representatives

Class A Low data rates Sensors and actuators LIN

(< 10kBit/s)
Class B Average data rates Complex mechanisms for error handling, Low speed CAN, PSI5
(< 125kBit/s) control unit networking in the comfort
functions
Class C High data rates Real-time requirements, control unit High speed CAN
(< 1MBit/s) networking in the drive and running gear
functions
Class C+ Extremely high data rates Real-time requirements, control unit FlexRay
(< 10MBit/s) networking in the drive and running gear
functions
Class D Extremely high data rates Control unit networking in the telematics MOST, Ethernet
(> 10MBit/s) and multimedia functions

(after Bosch [2], pp.85)

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