Keysight Technologies has unveiled the AE6980T nGBASE-AU Optical Automotive Ethernet Transmitter Test Solution, the first platform to qualify next-generation optical automotive Ethernet PHYs compliant with the IEEE 802.3cz standard, introduced at the 2025 IEEE SA Ethernet & IP @ Automotive Technology Day in Toulouse, France. The solution targets multi-gigabit optical links (2.5G–50G) over multimode fiber, providing low-latency, EMI-immune, high-bandwidth connections critical for software-defined vehicles and advanced driver-assistance systems. Built on Keysight’s FlexDCA platform, the AE6980T integrates Transmitter Distortion Figure of Merit (TDFOM) measurement capabilities to assess optical signal quality, enabling predictive analysis, margin evaluation, and simplified debugging. It supports Keysight DCA-M oscilloscopes with automated test setups and HTML reporting.
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Keysight collaborated with KD, a leading optical transceiver chipset maker, to define TDFOM specifications in alignment with IEEE 802.3cz and Open Alliance TC7 requirements. “Keysight’s new test solutions, designed for test houses, Tier-1 suppliers, and OEMs, support the robust automotive optical communications standard IEEE 802.3cz.,” said David Ortiz, CTO of KD. Automotive Ethernet has advanced significantly, with optical fiber now delivering major advantages for enabling multigigabit in-vehicle networks” added Thomas Goetzl, VP of Keysight Automotive & Energy Solutions, that the platform empowers Tier-1 suppliers, OEMs, and test houses to develop and validate reliable high-speed optical connectivity.