For many decades, Ethernet has been used in industrial and computing networks but nowadays it is increasingly being deployed in automotive applications as a replacement for legacy networks like Controller Area Network (CAN). Automotive Ethernet offers the topology flexibility, high bandwidth and robust communication required for in-vehicle data communications as original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) transition from domain to zonal network architectures. This article discusses various automotive Ethernet standards before considering the stringent electrostatic protection (ESD) and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) standards they are required to comply with. Finally, it presents a range of components from Nexperia which automotive OEMs can use to ensure that vehicle networks are fully protected against ESD events.