5G communication has the characteristics of high bandwidth and low latency, which is the best communication technology for V2X (Vehicle to Everything) applications. 5G will provide new functions for in-vehicle and out-of-vehicle applications. In the short term, it will improve in-vehicle infotainment and enhance in-vehicle multimedia functions. In the near future, 5G's contribution to V2X communication, driving experience optimization, and the future of autonomous vehicles will be anticipated. This article will show you the applicational development of 5G technology in V2X, and the V2X module solution provided by Murata.
5G communication will improve driving experience and safety
As modern vehicles become more and more intelligent, the technologies in respect of on-board computing power, sensor networks, and communications system are constantly improving. V2X may be used to improve the driver and passenger experience, particularly with respect to vehicle location, driver behavior, engine diagnostics, vehicle activity, and infotainment, etc. All of these systems rely on cellular network connectivity, which is the focus of 5G technology development.
V2X (Vehicle to Everything) refers to wireless communication technology that connects vehicles with surrounding pedestrians and everything, while communication and connection are the key to the development of autonomous vehicles. Thanks to the development of V2X communications applications, cellular network-based technology are critical to transforming the entire mobile ecosystem. The new protocol allows vehicles to communicate with other vehicles (Vehicle to Vehicle, V2V), pedestrians (Vehicle to Pedestrian, V2P), network (Vehicle to Network, V2N), and the surrounding infrastructure (Vehicle to Infrastructure, V2I) to prevent accidents such as collisions and build efficient transportation systems, and is expected to be an important technology that will help drive fully autonomous driving in the future.
With the development of 5G technology, we will see changes in the wireless access network of small cells. The foundation of 5G networks will be rooted in many locations. This deployment of communication infrastructure that supports C-V2X technology will provide superior performance to support communication between connected vehicles and the transport infrastructure, and the resulting benefits will be numerous, such as reducing congestion, reducing emissions, and smoother driving experience.
Abundant traffic information can improve road safety for vehicles and pedestrians
First, the high reliability and low latency of 5G will greatly facilitate the flow of information between vehicles, pedestrians, and road infrastructure, thereby improving road safety. This will enable connected vehicles to predict and avoid dangerous situations, reduce vehicle collisions, and potentially save lives.
On the other hand, the driving experience will be greatly improved by optimizing driver and experience features such as finding the nearest free parking space or enabling predictive maintenance to save drivers’ time and money through real-time traffic information. Passengers may also benefit from next-generation infotainment services, where they may enjoy high-quality video streaming or join video conference calls during the journey.
In addition, 5G can also be applied to the IoT's intelligent mobility (V2X, C2X) functions, and in the short term, a key area for automobile 5G will be sharing real-time communications, providing interconnected data on traffic and road conditions. The 5G-based V2X will be rolled out as part of the 3GPP Rel-16 and may bring many benefits to users and improve road safety.
For automotive entertainment/infotainment, 5G's high data rate capability will improve the driver and passenger experience by simplifying the information transmission, such as data-intensive video or music streams. Current applications will be enhanced, including in-car retail, AR/VR navigation, optimized driver feedback, and many other complex in-vehicle applications.
V2X communications solutions with advanced V2X chipsets
In order to provide V2X communications solutions, Murata partnered with Autotalks, a pioneer in the field of vehicle to Everything (V2X), to introduce groundbreaking new technologies for collaborative safety and higher levels of automated mobility, which enabled Murata to launch a portfolio of wireless module solutions that can support direct V2X communications.
For maximum versatility, Murata's V2X solutions can be tailored to customer requirements. Murata’s Type 2AN wireless module may be employed when enabled for host-less configuration and Type 1YL will be used when there is a built-in host. Both automotive-grade modules are based on Autotalks' CRATON2 and SECTON V2X chipsets, which, in addition to top-notch performance, are robust enough to ensure continued reliability, even under the most challenging operating conditions, and Murata modules are capable of supporting V2X software stacks from many different vendors.
Murata’s V2X module using Autotalks’ chipset is different in that customers can choose one of the two V2X communications standards they want to use, including Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC) or C-V2X. As a result, customers can address different geographic regions (Europe, Asia, North America, etc) directly using the same modules through simple software configurations, which means that the system design can remain unchanged, thus significantly reducing the associated engineering costs.
V2X modules that support both DSRC and C-V2X standards
Murata is committed to assisting customers to accelerate the development of V2X applications, and has introduced its V2X modules. Murata has a V2X module that supports both DSRC and Cellular V2X (C-V2X), i.e. supporting both the DSRC of the IEEE802.11 standard and the C-V2X of the 3GPP Release 14/15-compliant standard through one module.
Murata's V2X module Type 1YL is a module that supports V2X's wireless communication methods for DSRC and cellular V2X (C-V2X). It can be mounted not only for cars, but also on traffic signals and other infrastructure. Type 1YL is also equipped with Autotalks' SECTON IC and PLUTON2 IC, which has a small 33.0mm × 27.0mm × 3.0mm footprint and can work within a temperature range from − 40℃ to 105℃, supporting surface mounting (SMD), and is equipped with a hardware security module (eHSM). Type 1Y has a supply voltage of 5V/3.3V and supports USB/SPI/UART interfaces. The module is packaged in a metal case, and two packaging methods are provided for shipment: tape and reel.
Another V2X module from Murata is Type 2AN, which is a module that supports both V2X's wireless communication methods, DSRC and cellular V2X (C-V2X). In addition, it is equipped with a processor that can run V2X middleware and applications and optional Secure CAN MCU.
Type 2AN is also equipped with Autotalks' CRATON2 IC and PLUTON2 IC, as well as a Dual core ARM Cortex A7 CPU, which has a small 38.5mm × 37.5mm × 8.5mm footprint and can operate within a temperature range from − 40℃ to 85℃, and carries a board-to-board (B-to-B) connector, as well as a hardware security module (eHSM) and semiconductor memory. Type 2AN has a supply voltage of 5V/3.3V and supports USB/SPI/UART/can/Ethernet (Mac) interfaces. The module is packaged in a metal case, and tray packaging is provided for shipment. Samples of individual modules and evaluation boards are also available from Murata. If you are interested in this product, please contact Murata.
Conclusion
The adoption of 5G communication technology in V2X applications will greatly improve the driving experience and safety of driving, vehicles, and pedestrians. Combined with the development of fully automatic unmanned driving, it will completely disrupt the future of the automobile industry. The market potential is extremely large, which is worthy of active efforts by manufacturers interested in investing in this emerging market. Murata's V2X modules support both V2X standards and can support different geographic markets with the same modules through simple software configuration, reducing engineering development costs, which deserves your deeper understanding and adoption.