A Small Click of a Connector – A Big Leap for the Multi-Vendor Ecosystem
An Observer’s Report from the first ASA-ML Interoperability Plugfest
Munich, September 2nd, 2025
The hum of test equipment, the quiet clicking of keyboards, and the occasional rustle of cables break the tense silence. Surrounded by excited observers, two engineers from different silicon vendors sit across each other on opposite sides of the room. Evaluation boards, laptops, and protocol analyzers in front of them, their eyes meet briefly – a silent nod – and the testing begins.
“Are you ready?”
“I’m already up.”
“Yes, we have link-up – that was fast!”
The first successful connection marks the beginning of a productive session. What follows is a successful day of intense, hands-on testing between main leading semiconductor vendors such as Aviva Links, Microchip Technology, Realtek Semiconductor, Sony Semiconductor Solutions, among others.
Kevin So, Vice President, Communications Business Unit (Microchip Technology Inc.) highlighted their commitment to the development of ASA standards: “As the first company to bring an ASA-ML solution to market, Microchip invested significant effort behind the scenes to ensure a seamless demonstration at the industry’s inaugural Plugfest. The results speak for themselves – we successfully achieved fast link-up and normal mode interoperability with every other semiconductor vendor participant at the event. This milestone underscores both the maturity of the standard and our solution, and our commitment to driving open, standards-based innovation across the eco-system. Automotive OEMs and Tier1s should now have greater confidence to adopt ASA-ML for their next-generation ADAS systems.”
Realtek underscored the importance of open standards and joint industry collaboration: “Realtek is honored to participate in the first ASA-ML Interoperability Plugfest. Through hands-on testing and collaboration with other semiconductor companies, we demonstrated the power of open standards and multi-vendor compatibility. Moving forward, Realtek will continue to work together with industry partners to drive the continued growth and success of the ASA-ML ecosystem”.
A Real-World Lab for Interoperability
Over the course of the Plugfest, a wide range of configurations are tested. Multiple variations in cable lengths, link segments, inline connectors are tested to cover potential future scenarios for shielded twisted pair (STP) as well as coaxial cabling. Each variation is carefully documented. Reset procedures are another key focus. Different reset sequences are applied to ensure consistent behavior across implementations. The goal: interoperability at every possible combination.
“The ASA plugfest demonstrated interoperability across several diverse implementations, marking an important milestone toward establishing a robust and healthy multivendor ecosystem. This progress is both encouraging and essential for the establishment of a successful standard within the automotive industry.”, states Samuel Sigfriedsson, System Architect at Volvo Cars.
A Well-Organized, relaxed Atmosphere
The event began with a warm welcome and a smooth registration process. The organization by in-tech GmbH and C&S was spot-on, allowing the participating silicon vendors to focus fully on testing – and the attending observers to keep a careful eye on the process.
“I am delighted that this event serves to the advancement of the ASA-ML technology and that we have been able to provide a platform for engineers from all over the world to come together and make this a success. We are also pleased with the positive feedback from the participants. In-tech is highly motivated to ensuring the next ASA Interoperability Plugfest becomes even a greater success.”, says Leila Jürgensen, In-Vehicle Network Technologies, in-tech GmbH, and Fabian Nikolaus, Project Manager at C&S group GmbH adds: „We are delighted to be able to contribute to this first step toward ASA-ML interoperability and consider it a great joint success. We would like to thank all participants for their efforts in the run-up to the event and their interest in the event, as well as in-tech for the excellent organization. We look forward to taking the next step, extending the scope and bringing even more companies on board. “
While silicon vendors must remain stationed at their test setups, observers are free to move throughout the rooms, gaining insights from different configurations and silicon interactions. This was an industry first for automotive SerDes: a neutral third party hosted event, openly accessible to external observers – setting a precedent for transparency and interoperability-focused engagement.
Valuable Insights and a Clear Path Forward
“BMW, as a member of ASA, congratulates all participants for their outstanding achievement in demonstrating the interoperability of their ASA-ML solutions”, as by the end of the Plugfest, the results were clear: The event was a great success as all Plugfest objectives were archived. Minor interoperability findings were identified, most of which were resolved on the spot. The testing provided valuable data for the next steps, which are already defined, and plans for a follow-up Plugfest — with even more silicon vendors — are in motion. A truly open SerDes standard with an interoperable multi-vendor ASA-ML ecosystem has become reality and will continue to thrive with even more vendors joining.
Kamal Dalmia, CEO and Founder Aviva Links emphasized the value of the event, noting: “ASA-ML has emerged as the leader in Automotive SerDes through its genuinely open standardization. With a mature, well-defined ecosystem, it stands as the most advanced standard available today. AVIVA is proud to be among the companies that have achieved the interoperability.”
About Automotive SerDes Alliance
The Automotive SerDes Alliance (ASA) is a non-profit industry alliance of automotive technology providers collaborating to standardize asymmetric SerDes technology. The group currently has more than 175 active member companies that work together to industrialize and promote the “ASA Motion Link.” The member companies of ASA include representatives from the complete automotive ecosystem, including car manufacturers, tier-one suppliers, semiconductor vendors, cable and connector manufacturers, test tool vendors, and test houses. Having such a diverse and rich ecosystem ensures that the ASA standards development is in-tune with market requirements and is optimized through the participation of industry experts.
Press Contact:
For more details, please email to contact@members.auto-serdes.org or visit our website (auto-serdes.org)