System and method for automatic communication lane failover in a serial link

A system for automatic lane failover includes a first device coupled to a second device via a serial communication link having a plurality of a communication lanes. The devices may communicate by operating the link in a normal mode and a degraded mode. During normal mode operation, the devices may send frames of information to each other via the serial communication link. Each frame of information may include a number of data bits and a number of error protection bits. In response to either device detecting a failure of one or more of the communication lanes, the first device may cause the serial communication link to operate in a degraded mode by removing the one or more failed communication lanes. In addition, each device may reformat and send the frame of information on the remaining communication lanes with fewer data bits and the same number of error protection bits.