For the seventh time in a row, the Automotive Ethernet Congress opened its doors: However, due to the Corona pandemic, this time the conference took place in digital form and spread over three days. Thus, 270 attendees, speakers and exhibitors were able to learn about the technological progress of Ethernet in the vehicle from February 09 to 11, 2021, in two keynotes, 17 presentations, three workshops and two showrooms.  

Automated driving, connectivity, digitalization, electrification  - the automotive industry is undergoing the greatest transformation in its history. Automobile manufacturers and their suppliers must quickly adapt to radical changes, and not only because of ever-increasing competition and cost pressure. Technologies from consumer electronics must also be taken up quickly, which digitalization is pushing into the vehicle. End consumers no longer just expect their vehicles to transport them safely - but above all to offer functions that they are used to from their mobile devices. This requires a high-performance vehicle network. However, various technologies are available for the vehicle network, some of which address very similar use cases. This raises the question "Is the diversity of technologies really an advantage or is it not better to combine the entire IVN under one technology?"

This question will also have to be answered at the eighth Automotive Ethernet Congress in spring 2022 - hopefully again as a face-to-face event in Munich.