Multiplexing-Past, Present, and Future

Multiplexing has recently become a subject of considerable interest to the automotive industry. Although the idea is not new, it has only found wide application in other fields in recent years through the power of modern electronics. Perhaps, the time is at hand for its application in the automotive field. It may be the only answer to the increasing complexity of automotive wiring.

This paper reviews the history of the early and more recent developments of multiplexing along with the reasons for its development. It also covers current applications with particular emphasis on the automotive field.

Vehicular applications are reviewed with respect to their potential advantages over conventional wiring systems. Consideration is given to cost effectiveness, reliability and feature availability. Prerequisites for choosing multiplexing over conventional wiring are defined.