Is there a contradiction between Wiring and Wireless?
In the era of intelligent interconnection, from smartphones in our hands to speeding smart cars, from CNC machines in factories to precision medical equipment, wireless technology is reshaping the ecological landscape of modern industry with a rapid and overwhelming momentum. Wireless transmission technologies such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and NFC resemble an invisible neural network, while 5G and IoT technologies are more like a surging digital bloodline, freeing information exchange between devices from the shackles of physical cables. At the same time, wireless charging technologies such as magnetic resonance and radio frequency have made a breakthrough in removing spatial constraints on energy supply, gradually bringing the vision of "cutting off the last cable" to reality. The convenience brought by this technological revolution is like a gentle breeze brushing against our faces - consumers are freed from the tedious task of plugging and unplugging cables, engineers gain more freedom in industrial design, and the entire industrial chain is rejuvenated by the "cable-free" trend.
However, amidst this technological wave, the traditional wiring harness industry is facing skepticism regarding its "precipitous decline." Pessimists argue that as wireless transmission bandwidth surpasses the 10Gbps mark and wireless charging efficiency climbs above 90%, traditional wiring harnesses will inevitably head towards industrial decline, much like film cameras did in the past. They cite examples such as the removal of the 3.5mm headphone jack from smartphones and the promotion of V2X vehicle-to-everything connectivity in electric vehicles, predicting that the market size of the wiring harness industry will shrink by over 30% in the next five years. More pointed views point out that traditional processes relied upon by the wiring harness industry, such as copper smelting and plastic extrusion, have become "sunset technologies" amid tightening environmental policies.
Meanwhile, the intelligent upgrade of the wiring harness industry is opening up new growth opportunities. In the German Industry 4.0 demonstration factory, smart wiring harnesses embedded with RFID chips can provide real-time feedback on their health status, such as temperature and vibration, making predictive maintenance possible. In Tesla's newly disclosed 48V electrical architecture, a "wiring harness as sensor" design is adopted to monitor line anomalies through impedance changes. This innovative fusion of "physical transmission + digital empowerment" is reshaping the value chain of wiring harnesses.
Breakthroughs in materials science have brought about a qualitative leap. The application of graphene composite conductors has reduced the weight of wiring harnesses by 40% while enhancing conductivity by 300%, meeting the stringent requirements of the aerospace industry where every gram counts. Liquid metal connection technology endows wiring harnesses with self-healing capabilities, significantly extending the service life of deep-sea cables and other applications. The superconducting busbar system developed by Sumitomo Electric Industries in Japan has elevated the power density of traditional wiring harnesses to a new level.
The market landscape is also evolving simultaneously. Traditional Tier 1 suppliers are transitioning from being single-product manufacturers to becoming "electrical connection system solution providers," offering full-chain services ranging from topology design to lifecycle management. Leveraging their first-mover advantage in the field of high-voltage wiring harnesses, Chinese manufacturers have secured a 60% share of the global new energy vehicle market. The essence of this transformation and upgrading lies in the paradigm shift of wiring harnesses evolving from "passive transmission channels" to "active intelligent nodes." When physical wiring harnesses are deeply integrated with digital technology, this century-old industry is radiating astonishing vitality.
From the perspective of industrial evolution, the wiring harness industry is undergoing a strategic transformation from "scale dividend" to "value dividend". Leading enterprises have already ventured into cutting-edge fields such as high-frequency and high-speed automotive Ethernet cables, and silicone insulation materials capable of withstanding 1500V high voltage. More forward-looking is the integration of optical fiber sensing technology into smart wiring harnesses, transforming traditional cables into "nerve fibers" capable of self-diagnosis. These innovations confirm that the wiring harness industry will not disappear, but will redefine its own value with higher technological density. Just as the internal combustion engine did not perish with the rise of electric vehicles but evolved into a core component of hybrid systems, the wiring harness industry will also inevitably find a new ecological niche amidst the competition and cooperation with wireless technology.
