The OPEN Alliance (One-Pair Ether-Net) Special Interest Group (SIG), established to drive wide-scale adoption of Ethernet-based automotive connectivity, today announced a 7X increase in membership since the organization was formed in November 2011. With 45 partnering organizations representing the tech and automotive sectors, the OPEN Alliance was formed to address industry requirements for improving in-vehicle safety, comfort, and infotainment, while significantly reducing network complexity and cabling costs. In related news, members have voted to appoint Dr. Kirsten Matheus, Ethernet Project Manager at BMW, as Chair of the OPEN Alliance.