High-Speed Data Links Enable Next-Gen ADAS

New Tech Tuesdays

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Published April 14, 2026

Digital technology is the foundation of the cars that we will drive in the future. While alternative energy sources—including electric, hybrid, and hydrogen drivetrains­—are making headlines, computing power will enable the cars of the next decade.

Digital technology is influencing not only how vehicles operate, but how their electrical and electronic systems are built from the ground up. The distinction between conventional controls and computing power continues to blur as features like advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) are introduced. ADAS combines an array of sensors to serve as the eyes and ears of the vehicle. These sensors collect information about the vehicle and its surroundings, and this information enables features such as adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assistance to enhance safety for road users.

In this week’s New Tech Tuesdays, we look at how the data demands of camera-, radar-, and lidar-based ADAS are accelerating the shift to zonal designs, then highlight how high-frequency coax interconnects help keep those signals reliable in harsh automotive conditions.

The ability to detect and analyze road hazards is essential for the evolution of vehicles towards full autonomy. The challenge is that collecting and analyzing information from such a wide range of sources is data-intensive. High-resolution cameras generate multigigabit video data, while radar and lidar sensors add further bandwidth demands. These signals must travel reliably from sensors to controllers, often via long cable runs within the vehicle.

To meet the higher data requirements of ADAS, conventional cable harnesses are being replaced by a new automotive design approach called zonal architecture. As the name suggests, the vehicle’s functions are grouped by location into several zones. Each zone controls the devices installed in that section of the vehicle and connects them to a locally installed zonal controller or gateway. Because a zonal gateway is close to the devices it controls, the cable lengths required to connect them are relatively short.

Each zonal gateway then connects to the computers at the heart of the vehicle. The communication between the zones and central computers is more like a computer network than an automotive harness.

Traditional connectors are not suited for the data rates required for future automotive designs. As data rates increase, insertion loss, crosstalk, and electromagnetic interference (EMI) are critical concerns. At the same time, the automotive environment is among the harshest. Extremes of temperature and constant vibration combine with the need for compact designs. The industry needs compact, standardized connectors that can support high data rates while delivering reliability in these tough conditions.

High-frequency coaxial connector systems provide controlled impedance and continuous shielding to deliver data reliably throughout the vehicle. The FAKRA-Mini connector, known as the HFM, is an evolution of established automotive coaxial standards, engineered to support protocols such as Automotive Ethernet and the high-speed video demanded by camera-based ADAS applications. Secure locking helps keep the connection stable in demanding environments.

The Molex HFM high-frequency interconnect system meets the demanding requirements of automotive high-speed data transmission. Based on the FAKRA-Mini standard, these coaxial connectors support multigigabit data rates for ADAS cameras, radar modules, and infotainment systems.

Its compact form factor suits high-density applications, while robust shielding provides superior signal integrity. Furthermore, the mechanical design withstands the extremes of vibration and temperature found in the automotive industry.

As vehicles take on more sensing and computing, reliably moving data within the car is becoming a design challenge. The volume and speed of in-vehicle data are rising quickly, and the physical connections that carry those signals can't be treated as an afterthought.

Looking ahead, the systems that succeed will be those designed around signal integrity from the start, with interconnects chosen to support higher data rates and harsher environments rather than being retrofitted later.