30m APIX devices shipped for automotive video connectivity

Meeting the highest automotive EMI requirements, APIX can establish multiple display links with a bandwidth of up to 3Gb/s, over two pairs of copper cables or a single QSTP cable.

In 2008, BMW was the first customer for APIX, using the technology in a head-up display in the 7 series. Today, BMW deploys APIX in all of its cars, again including the latest 7 series launched in June with a total of up to four APIX links. Overall, APIX is used by ten leading automotive manufacturers and more than 20 tier 1 supplier.

“APIX provides a high-speed, reliable and cost-effective solution for transmitting uncompressed video,” said Robert Isele, BMW. “The proliferation of APIX into the last two generations of the 7 series and into the entire BMW range of models, as well as the usage by other car manufacturers, clearly shows the value of our visionary concepts around the APIX technology 10 years ago.”

“APIX and our second-gen APIX2 technology are the most reliable SerDes solutions for digital Gigabit multi-channel communication in the automotive sector,” said Thomas Rothhaupt, Director Sales & Marketing, Inova Semiconductors. “Video in cars is a fast-growing market, driven by safety and infotainment applications and APIX is the best technology available to meet this demand.”

As well as connecting TFT displays to graphic units, APIX can also link the camera sensors of driver assistance systems to a central processor unit, or directly to a display. In 2011 the first cars with Inova’s APIX2 technology became available, enabling HD video.

APIX products feature built-in bi-directional sideband channels that enable the transmission of additional control signals, so a remote camera link can be established with only a tiny two-pair copper cable.