NXP acquisition provides Dutch company a better position in autonomous driving

NXP expands its automotive networking and connectivity portfolio by acquiring Aviva Links, a pioneer of ASA-based asymmetrical links for ADAS and IVI applications. The acquisition is focused on gaining a better position in autonomous driving. NXP has acquired Aviva Links in an all-cash transaction valued at €230 million.

The Automotive SerDes Alliance (ASA), formed in 2019 with NXP as a founding member, helps participating automakers to migrate to open source, interoperable networking solutions that best meet the needs of their increasingly software-defined vehicle offerings. ASA brings an open standard with data rates scalable from 2 Gbps to 16 Gbps and it includes link-layer security. In addition to establishing SerDes point-to-point communication, the standard addresses the seamless migration to efficient Ethernet-based sensor connectivity.

With over 150 members today, Automotive SerDes Alliance (ASA) represents the complete automotive ecosystem, including car manufacturers like BMW, Ford, Stellantis and General Motors, tier-one suppliers, semiconductor vendors, cable and connector manufacturers, test tool vendors, and test houses. As one of the founding members, the BMW Group is the first car manufacturer to have publicly announced series production with ASA-ML this decade.

A complete networking and connectivity solution

ASA-based asymmetrical multi-gigabit links help OEMs produce interoperable network architecture based on an open standard. OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers can benefit from NXP’s complete networking and connectivity solution covering asymmetrical and symmetrical links.

Increased adoption of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and in-vehicle infotainment (IVI), such as in-cabin digital cockpits for software-defined vehicles (SDVs), requires highly asymmetric camera and display networks with high downstream and low upstream bandwidth. Today’s proprietary, sole-sourced asymmetrical links limit automakers to non-standardized solutions.

NXP market intelligence expects the addressable market for ADAS and IVI asymmetrical links to grow from $1 billion in 2024 to $2 billion in 2034. Aviva Links’ acquisition by NXP is expected to help boost this growth by shifting the market from today’s proprietary links to open standard ASA SerDes connections. The acquisition is expected to close in the first half of 2025 subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals.

"NXP is one of ASA’s founding partners, and we are thrilled to add asymmetrical multi-gigabit ASA links to our portfolio", says Meindert van den Beld, Senior Vice President and General Manager of In-vehicle Networking, NXP Semiconductors. "This complements and expands our leadership position in automotive networking solutions ranging from CAN and LIN to Ethernet switches and physical layer devices. This portfolio enables us to offer OEMs complete networking solutions directly, making the software-defined vehicle a reality. Furthermore, we are excited to have Aviva Links’ highly knowledgeable team join NXP’s automotive innovation ranks."