The initiative, centered around the Gigabit Multimedia Serial Link (GMSL) technology pioneered by Analog Devices Inc. (ADI), seeks to standardize SerDes (serializer/deserializer) communication protocols across autonomous driving, ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems), and infotainment platforms. The ultimate goal: streamline integration, reduce costs, and accelerate innovation industry-wide.
“Modern vehicles are evolving into supercomputers on wheels,” said Paul Fernando, President of the OpenGMSL Association. “With over a billion GMSL chips already on the road and widespread adoption by more than 25 global OEMs, OpenGMSL is building upon a deeply proven platform to establish an industry-wide foundation for future development.”
As advanced driver assistance and autonomous systems become increasingly reliant on real-time video and sensor data, the demand for ultra-fast, low-latency communication has surged. In-cabin entertainment systems have also grown more complex, requiring consistent high-bandwidth connections to enable rich media experiences. Historically, disparate standards and proprietary technologies have complicated development, stifled cross-vendor compatibility, and raised barriers to scalability.
By formalizing GMSL as an open and globally recognized specification, the OpenGMSL Association hopes to change that.
“The need for collaborative innovation has never been greater,” said Yasmine King, Corporate Vice President and head of ADI’s automotive division. “This effort is about empowering our partners and streamlining the development of increasingly intelligent, connected vehicles.”
Operating as an independent nonprofit entity, the OpenGMSL Association will be governed by a dedicated board of directors and will require compliance certification for all products built on the standard to ensure seamless interoperability.
Key players across the automotive technology spectrum have voiced strong support. Granite River Labs (GRL), GlobalFoundries, Hyundai Mobis, indie Semiconductor, Keysight Technologies, Rohde & Schwarz, and Teledyne LeCroy are among the founding members contributing to the initiative’s early momentum.
“We see this as a necessary evolution,” said Vamshi Kandalla, CEO of GRL Solutions. “Interoperability is the linchpin to advancing connected and autonomous vehicle systems globally.”
Others echoed the sentiment, emphasizing how a shared framework will support faster deployment timelines, more robust data handling, and better real-world performance for next-generation mobility platforms.
The association’s scope goes beyond chip-level compatibility, also targeting smarter vehicle integration with support for increasingly complex software-defined architectures.
“With our mixed-signal automotive-grade process technologies, we are committed to enabling the hardware backbone for this new standard,” said Sudipto Bose of GlobalFoundries.
The OpenGMSL Association will showcase its vision and invite further industry participation at the upcoming AutoSens conference in Detroit, June 10-12. Companies and developers interested in joining the effort are encouraged to explore membership at www.opengmsl.org.
As the automotive sector races toward autonomy and intelligent mobility, OpenGMSL represents a key inflection point — one that may determine just how fast the industry’s next chapter is written.