diff --git a/sys/net/gnrc/netif/init_devs/auto_init_atwinc15x0.c b/sys/net/gnrc/netif/init_devs/auto_init_atwinc15x0.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..60b5b25b08
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sys/net/gnrc/netif/init_devs/auto_init_atwinc15x0.c
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2020 Gunar Schorcht
+ *
+ * This file is subject to the terms and conditions of the GNU Lesser
+ * General Public License v2.1. See the file LICENSE in the top level
+ * directory for more details.
+ *
+ */
+
+/**
+ * @ingroup     sys_auto_init_gnrc_netif
+ * @{
+ *
+ * @file
+ * @brief       Auto initialization for ATWINC15X0 WiFi devices
+ *
+ * @author      Gunar Schorcht <gunar@schorcht.net>
+ */
+
+#ifdef MODULE_ATWINC15X0
+
+#include "log.h"
+#include "atwinc15x0.h"
+#include "atwinc15x0_params.h"
+#include "net/gnrc/netif/ethernet.h"
+
+/**
+ * @brief   Define stack parameters for the MAC layer thread
+ * @{
+ */
+#define ATWINC15X0_MAC_STACKSIZE    (THREAD_STACKSIZE_DEFAULT)
+#ifndef ATWINC15X0_MAC_PRIO
+#define ATWINC15X0_MAC_PRIO         (GNRC_NETIF_PRIO)
+#endif
+/*** @} */
+
+/**
+ * @brief   Find out how many of these devices we need to care for
+ */
+#define ATWINC15X0_NUM    ARRAY_SIZE(atwinc15x0_params)
+
+/**
+ * @brief   Allocate memory for the device descriptors
+ * @{
+ */
+static atwinc15x0_t dev[ATWINC15X0_NUM];
+/** @} */
+
+static gnrc_netif_t _netif[ATWINC15X0_NUM];
+
+/**
+ * @brief   Stacks for the MAC layer threads
+ */
+static char stack[ATWINC15X0_NUM][ATWINC15X0_MAC_STACKSIZE];
+
+void auto_init_atwinc15x0(void)
+{
+    for (unsigned i = 0; i < ATWINC15X0_NUM; i++) {
+        LOG_DEBUG("[auto_init_netif] initializing atwinc15x0 #%u\n", i);
+
+        /* setup netdev device */
+        atwinc15x0_setup(&dev[i], &atwinc15x0_params[i]);
+        gnrc_netif_ethernet_create(&_netif[i], stack[i],
+                                   ATWINC15X0_MAC_STACKSIZE,
+                                   ATWINC15X0_MAC_PRIO, "atwinc15x0",
+                                   (netdev_t *)&dev[i]);
+    }
+}
+
+#else
+typedef int dont_be_pedantic;
+#endif /* MODULE_ATWINC15X0 */
+/** @} */
diff --git a/sys/net/gnrc/netif/init_devs/init.c b/sys/net/gnrc/netif/init_devs/init.c
index d30a74eff0..765ef4b727 100644
--- a/sys/net/gnrc/netif/init_devs/init.c
+++ b/sys/net/gnrc/netif/init_devs/init.c
@@ -42,6 +42,11 @@ void gnrc_netif_init_devs(void)
         auto_init_at86rf2xx();
     }
 
+    if (IS_USED(MODULE_ATWINC15X0)) {
+        extern void auto_init_atwinc15x0(void);
+        auto_init_atwinc15x0();
+    }
+
     if (IS_USED(MODULE_MRF24J40)) {
         extern void auto_init_mrf24j40(void);
         auto_init_mrf24j40();