News

27 January 2009

 

Firecomms’ new MOST150 transceiver demoed by Hyundai

Firecomms of Cork, Ireland has started shipping its new FCM150 MOST150 fiber optic transceiver (FOT), which provides a bandwidth of 150Mb/s for high-speed automotive infotainment networks over plastic optical fiber (POF). 

MOST (Media Oriented Systems Transport) is a multimedia networking technology optimized for use in cars and other applications that enables the transport of high Quality of Service audio and video together with packet data and real-time control over a single transmission medium. It can use plastic optical fiber or electrical unshielded or shielded twisted-pair wire physical layers that meet automotive environmental requirements. MOST is used as the communication backbone for the information and entertainment equipment in over 60 models of car.

Incorporated in a connector system developed and marketed by Japan’s Alps Electric Co Ltd, the MOST150 FOT has been used to demonstrate the capabilities of the next-generation MOST150 infotainment network being developed by Korea-based automotive electronics specialist Hyundai Autonet. Founded in 1985 as Hyundai Automotive Electronics Division, Hyundai Autonet has developed platforms for car infotainment based on integrated audio/video/networking (AVN) systems, and launched the first AVN using MOST in Korea.

“Our collaboration with Hyundai Autonet culminated in a demonstration by the Tier 1 infotainment supplier that has proven the operation of our new devices within the pioneering Hyundai Autonet system,” says Niall Keegan, Firecomms’ general manager of Asia Pacific. 

“The Firecomms MOST150 FOT allowed us to demonstrate successfully, and in the shortest time possible, the features and capabilities of our new MOST150 system to our automotive customers,” says Jack Kim, manager of the AV Team, Multimedia R&D at Hyundai Autonet.

MOST150 is already making its way into future vehicles. In addition to higher bandwidth, it features an isochronous transport mechanism to support extensive video applications, as well as an Ethernet channel for the efficient and seamless transport of IP-based packet data. Thus, MOST150 provides the automotive-ready physical layer for Ethernet in the car.

Firecomms develops devices to drive POF, a low-cost optical alternative to copper cabling. Due to its ease of use, large core tolerances, and low costs, the use of POF is growing in a wide range of applications. Created for consumer, industrial, and automotive applications in which plastic fiber can be used more easily and at lower cost than copper or glass fiber, POF is now used in millions of small-area networks, such as those in use in many car models, and is gaining ground in home network and point-to-point interconnection. 

See related item:

Firecomms secures $5m, plus long-term transceiver supply contract with Alps Electric

Search: Firecomms Fiber optic transceiver

Visit: www.firecomms.com

Visit: www.hyundaiAUTONET.com