獲獎理由：
引領新一代車載音訊架構
此解決方案基於新一代汽車電子電氣（EE）架構——區域架構（zonal architecture）。它將音訊放大器整合至區域控制單元（Zonal Control Unit, ZCU），並透過車用乙太網路骨幹傳輸音訊資料，而非使用專屬的 A2B 匯流排，藉此降低音訊系統的成本。車內喇叭可直接連接至最近的 ZCU，顯著縮短線束長度，減輕車輛重量並簡化組裝流程。此架構不再需要額外的外置音訊放大模組，分散式音訊放大器的設計也讓散熱管理更為容易，特別適合車內整合越來越多喇叭的情境。
得益於 STMicroelectronics 的 SR6Gx 車用 MCU，我們能在不增加額外 BOM 的情況下，實現這一全新音訊架構。其內建硬體模組與乙太網路 TSN 協定堆疊可恢復透過乙太網路傳輸的音訊，並確保不同 ZCU 之間的音訊同步。此設計可讓「音訊 over Ethernet」以更低成本與更佳效能落地實現。
我們已打造了一輛示範車，直觀呈現此解決方案。該示範車配置兩個 ZCU，每個 ZCU 各具備 4 聲道，可播放透過乙太網路傳輸的音訊，並保持不同 ZCU 之間的音訊同步。目前已有多家 OEM 表達高度興趣，並與我們合作展開進一步研究。
Leads a new vehicle audio architecture
This solution is based on the new automotive EE architecture – zonal architecture. It integrates audio amplifiers into Zonal Control Unit (ZCU). Transmits Audio Data with vehicle Ethernet backbone instead of dedicated A2B bus, which could help to decrease the cost of audio part. The speakers in the car could be connected to a closest ZCU with much shorter wiring harness, which could reduce the vehicle weight and simplify the assembly. Dedicated External Audio AMP module is no more needed with this solution. Distributed audio amplifiers help the thermal management become easier while more and more speakers are integrated into a car.
Thanks to SR6Gx automotive MCU from STMicroelectronics. We could implement this new audio architecture without any extra BOM. Internal hardware modules and Ethernet TSN stacks help recover audio transmitted over Ethernet and ensure the audio synchronization between different ZCUs. It helps to implement audio over Ethernet solution with lower cost and better performance.
Demo car has been created to show this solution in a more intuitive way. This demo car has two ZCUs with 4 audio channels each. It can play the audio transmitted over Ethernet and keeps the audio synchronized between different ZCUs. Many OEMs are interested in this solution and some of them are cooperating with us for some further study about this solution.
