linux-drivers/
drivers/net/ethernet/freescale/enetc

NXP ENETC and NETC Ethernet controllers

The integrated Ethernet controllers built into NXP's automotive and industrial SoCs, including the Layerscape LS1028A and the newer i.MX95 application processor. The hardware supports time-sensitive networking for factory automation, in-vehicle networks, and industrial control, with precision time stamping and virtualization features.

keep conf=0.88 deploy=medium replacement=none subsystem=net category=networking-ethernet
88%

recommendation

It should stay in the kernel because NXP is still actively shipping and updating SoCs that depend on it, including the LS1028A and the newer i.MX95, and upstream maintenance is healthy with fixes landing as recently as March 2026. There is no replacement driver for this hardware, and no deprecation discussion in flight.

repository signals

26 files
14,710 source lines
242 commits, 5y
+8,017 / −2,496 lines added / removed, 5y
57 authors, 5y
monthly commits · 2021-04-21 → 2026-04-21 · 242 total · active in 50/61 months
2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2021-04: 1 commit · +9 −9 2021-05: 1 commit · +24 −7 2021-06: 2 commits · +6 −7 2021-07: 1 commit · +2 −2 2021-08: 1 commit · +6 −2 2021-09: 5 commits · +15 −29 2021-10: 12 commits · +359 −54 2021-11: 5 commits · +17 −42 2021-12: 3 commits · +22 −18 2022-01: 2 commits · +13 −18 2022-02: 5 commits · +179 −174 2022-03: 2 commits · +5 −2 2022-04: 1 commit · +0 −4 2022-05: 4 commits · +40 −18 2022-06: 0 commits · +0 −0 2022-07: 0 commits · +0 −0 2022-08: 1 commit · +2 −2 2022-09: 8 commits · +423 −242 2022-10: 2 commits · +5 −1 2022-11: 2 commits · +19 −12 2022-12: 2 commits · +8 −33 2023-01: 24 commits · +661 −369 2023-02: 10 commits · +407 −82 2023-03: 1 commit · +5 −6 2023-04: 8 commits · +151 −27 2023-05: 6 commits · +101 −52 2023-06: 6 commits · +35 −18 2023-07: 2 commits · +5 −5 2023-08: 4 commits · +75 −43 2023-09: 4 commits · +4 −4 2023-10: 0 commits · +0 −0 2023-11: 1 commit · +1 −1 2023-12: 1 commit · +17 −14 2024-01: 3 commits · +6 −2 2024-02: 0 commits · +0 −0 2024-03: 1 commit · +1 −1 2024-04: 0 commits · +0 −0 2024-05: 0 commits · +0 −0 2024-06: 0 commits · +0 −0 2024-07: 1 commit · +1 −1 2024-08: 0 commits · +0 −0 2024-09: 3 commits · +23 −33 2024-10: 17 commits · +2,216 −489 2024-11: 4 commits · +31 −16 2024-12: 4 commits · +403 −30 2025-01: 0 commits · +0 −0 2025-02: 8 commits · +80 −32 2025-03: 0 commits · +0 −0 2025-04: 6 commits · +33 −22 2025-05: 18 commits · +1,416 −222 2025-06: 7 commits · +87 −69 2025-07: 1 commit · +12 −2 2025-08: 7 commits · +264 −133 2025-09: 4 commits · +18 −36 2025-10: 6 commits · +375 −7 2025-11: 4 commits · +226 −29 2025-12: 2 commits · +9 −2 2026-01: 5 commits · +26 −16 2026-02: 5 commits · +25 −26 2026-03: 9 commits · +149 −31 2026-04: 0 commits · +0 −0

sources

  1. spinics.net

    Recent March 26, 2026 netdev patch for ENETC shows active upstream maintenance rather than removal or deprecation.

  2. nxp.com

    NXP lists LS1028A as Active and describes integrated Ethernet controller / TSN functionality served by ENETC-class Linux support.

  3. nxp.com

    NXP lists i.MX95 as Active/updated and advertises TSN-capable Ethernet connectivity, indicating ongoing/new platform deployments tied to NETC/ENETC support.

codex reasoning notes (technical)

Local Kconfig read via exec_command identifies this as the NXP ENETC/NETC PF/VF/MDIO/PTP driver family, including LS1028A and newer ENETC4/NETC platforms. Local git log via exec_command showed substantive 2026-03 ENETC fixes with patch msgids; web search resolved one recent thread to the cited spinics URL, and separate web searches found the cited NXP LS1028A and i.MX95 product pages. Within the allowed budget, I found current upstream fix traffic and no removal/deprecation discussion; hardware remains relevant for embedded/industrial NXP SoCs, with no distinct replacement driver for the same use case.