The Layer 1 Switch for Automotive Ethernet is an innovative solution to realize the routing of messages in a test setup on a Physical Layer (OSI Model). This is especially helpful in Automotive test applications, where the physical connection of Automotive Ethernet links (of different ports) should be changeable via software, like for automation purposes or the remote control of test setups.

Our Layer 1 Switch is capable of media conversion, which means conversion between 100BASE-TX Standard Ethernet and 100BASE-T1 Automotive Ethernet, as well as 1000BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet to 1000BASE-T1 Automotive Gigabit Ethernet. The dynamic reconfiguration feature allows the user to implement a new routing in the device via “push and reconfiguration”, on the go without rebooting the device.

In terms of physical layer routing, port mirroring is enabled by the device. This means, that a copy of all network packets seen on one switch port (or an entire VLAN) is sent to a network monitoring connection on another switch port. Moreover, the Layer 1 Switch for Automotive Ethernet features link transparency (up to the limits of the internal Phy). This means that the transmission of data over the device is transparent (invisible) to other ECUs in the network, whose behavior should be tested.

Furthermore, an important feature of the device is that it offers deterministic delay of messages. The delay can even be set by the user so that it is possible to control the latency time added to a message. Finally, the “frame destroyer” feature enables the user to send false, manipulated messages to the device to check the behavior of the ECU(s) under test.