Abstract
In recent years, a tendency to replace current mechanical or hydraulic subsystems with pure electro-mechanic systems can be observed in the automotive industry. In analogy to the aircraft industry, the term x-by-wire is often used for these systems, x standing for any particular application such as braking or steering. The communication protocol is one of the key enabling technologies for these systems. The good news for semiconductor companies is that the silicon content will further increase once these systems become a reality, and new, well-tailored system-on-chip solutions will be required.