While initial vehicle multiplex applications have concentrated on single vehicle-wide networks, many factors are causing a shift toward the use of multiple vehicle networks. Cost, application differences, new emerging interconnection trends, and other influences are impacting the single network philosophy.
The application of multiple vehicle networks is growing and methods of supporting this direction are required.
Multiple vehicle networks may cause a major change in the meaning of vehicle diagnostics, may require the use of gateways, and may require that our original single network solutions be modified to handle some new requirements.
This paper compares the single/multiple network philosophies, examines the application of multiple vehicle networks, and discusses several of the major issues involved in this change.