Automotive connectors are divided into low-voltage, high-voltage, and high-speed connectors
The automotive industry is the second largest segment market for connectors, and the intelligentization and new energy of automobiles will increase the usage of connectors for bicycles and supporting charging stations. In recent years, the new energy vehicle market has grown rapidly, and China has been the world's largest market for the production and sales of new energy vehicles for several consecutive years. According to data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, the sales volume of new energy vehicles in China is expected to reach approximately 9.495 million units in 2023, a year-on-year increase of 37.87%, maintaining a high-speed growth trend; From the perspective of the proportion of new energy vehicle sales, in 2023, the proportion of new energy vehicle sales in China's total vehicle sales will increase to 31.55%, a year-on-year increase of 5.91 pct.
Car connectors can be divided into three categories: low-voltage connectors, high-voltage connectors, and high-speed connectors. In the transmission process of vehicle signals, they can be divided into analog signals and digital signals according to their different signal categories. High frequency high-speed connectors, as the physical support for high-speed vehicle network technology, are divided into coaxial connectors for transmitting analog signals, such as Fakra and Mini Fakra, and differential connectors for transmitting digital signals, such as Ethernet connectors and HSD connectors, according to their different data transmission capabilities.
High speed connectors - HSD and Ethernet
HSD (HighSpeed Data Connector) connectors are typically used in conjunction with Fakra and Mini Fakra. HSD is a high-speed data connector that supports USB 2.0 The transmission of LVDS, IEEE1394, and Ethernet protocols has high shielding efficiency. With the introduction of automotive Ethernet, HSD connectors have become compatible solutions.
With the development of in vehicle networks, mature protocols such as CAN, LIN, FlexRay, and MOST have emerged, and link transmission modes based on LVDS/USB technology have also been widely applied. However, in the face of the increasing resolution of cameras, monitors and more complex information shared by different sensor systems, higher transmission speed is required. Based on this situation, Ethernet, which was born in the 1970s, was introduced into vehicle networks. Automotive Ethernet can support high-speed transmission and has standardized link connection forms, reducing the number of cable connections in the entire vehicle, thereby reducing costs and weight. As the penetration rate of Ethernet increases, Ethernet connectors will also be used in more applications and partially replace HSD connectors.
