5G: Transforming V2X Communication in Connected Vehicles

In an interaction with Industry Outlook, Dhanaji Khade - VP, Ready Connect Business for SBU Connectivity, HARMAN India shares his views on how 5G technology is proving its potential to enhance V2X communication in connected vehicles,  how to effectively leverage 5G technology for seamless connectivity and more.

5G technology is proving its potential to enhance V2X communication in connected vehicles, offering ultra-low latency and improved reliability, while setting the foundation for advanced applications. How do you see its impact on V2X communication in connected vehicles?        The evolution to 5G technology in the connected vehicle space is reshaping the landscape of V2X communication, unlocking new possibilities for safety and mobility. With ultra-low latency and improved reliability, 5G-enabled vehicles can now deliver new connected services, such as enhanced safety, immersive media/entertainment, and precision HD mapping, ushering in a new era of intelligent and connected mobility.

The impact of 5G on V2X communication is multifaceted, with 5G bringing the potential for wider adoption and functionality of vehicle connectivity. By improving the ability of a vehicle to connect to other vehicles, the network, and intelligent infrastructure, vehicles can become smarter and make roads safer through enhanced situational awareness. Collaboration within the automotive industry is pivotal, as evidenced by ecosystem partnerships integrating technologies like AI, IoT, and cloud services. This collaborative approach is crucial for deploying 5G and its applications in smart cities and accelerating the adoption of advanced V2X communication.

In the overall landscape, the HARMAN 5G and V2X solutions, such as the HARMAN Ready Connect 5G TCU play a pivotal role by delivering an all-in-one, scalable and ready-to-go product that can democratize the powers of 5G and V2X for the automotive industry.

How do the inherent complexities of V2X communication in connected vehicles pose challenges in effectively leveraging 5G technology for seamless connectivity?

While there are many challenges, I would like to highlight two challenges that add to the complexity to the development and adoption of V2X and 5G.

Interoperability – we have different technologies and solution providers who all need to work together to realize advanced end-to-end use cases. The collaboration within the automotive industry to merge technologies from different areas like AI, IoT, and cloud services introduces a level of complexity that is difficult for OEMs to solve alone. V2X communication not only links vehicles to each other (V2V) and to infrastructure (V2I) but also engages with AI-driven systems, cloud-based services, and edge computing. Ensuring a smooth integration and interoperability among these diverse technologies presents a notable challenge. To solve this problem, government regulations and standards policies for V2X can bring uniformity about technology to be adapted by vehicle manufacturers which can help for functionality to work seamlessly.

The safety critical nature of these features leads to zero fault tolerance. With multiple points of failure and extremely low latency expectations, particularly for mobility-focused applications, presents a significant challenge to the level of testing required.      In the fast-changing world of car tech, where everything is connected and controlled, it is crucial to keep evolving. The shift from 4G to 5G readiness and eventual comprehensive 5G connectivity demands components that can be easily upgraded. HARMAN's pioneering 5G-ready Ready Product, Telematics Control Unit (TCU) is designed to meet this requirement, affording users the flexibility to upgrade at their convenience. Nevertheless, the challenge lies in ensuring a seamless transition devoid of disruptions or compatibility issues, a factor that may influence the widespread adoption of such advancements.

What role does the integration of 5G play in addressing the challenges related to low-latency requirements for V2X communication, and what hurdles still exist in achieving ultra-low latency?

Through 5G, transportation networks and smart cities can achieve massive device connectivity, higher data rates, ultra-low latencies, and higher system capacities that have the potential to transform connected mobility. 5G also comes with the promise of accelerating the deployment of V2X technologies through MEC (multi-access edge computing) and distributed edge computing. In MEC and distributed edge environments, developers can build applications optimized for low latencies and greater reliability, key components of V2X communication. For that to become a reality, there are 2 mains considerations:

One significant hurdle is the need for consistent and widespread 5G technology coverage to ensure seamless communication between vehicles and infrastructure. There is a need for advanced solutions, frameworks and infrastructures that will enable vehicles to interact intelligently with their surroundings over 5G and/or V2X. Ultimately, this all relies on extensive network infrastructure development and deployment, which may be challenging in certain areas.

Standardization protocols are also critical considerations. 5G and V2X each come with their own rigorous standards regulations, but to achieve a harmonized and interference-free communication environment will require enhanced cooperation between several industry parties. Together, this seamless and standardized environment is essential for the reliable exchange of real-time data between vehicles and their surroundings.

What role does infrastructure development play in enabling the successful integration of 5G for V2X communication, and what obstacles exist in achieving comprehensive infrastructure coverage to support connected vehicles?

Deploying 5G networks is vital to establish a high-speed communication environment for the mobility industry. 5G can facilitate a real-time data exchange among vehicles and infrastructure in which advanced edge infrastructure plays a crucial role for efficient data processing closer to the source of data generation. As 5G networks proliferate across dense urban areas, similar V2X roadside units, such as HARMAN’s own STREETWAVE product, can leverage common infrastructure sites and future generation radios to increase the scale of connected vehicle infrastructure.  

One of the key obstacles in the space is the high investments in infrastructure advancement required to deploy 5G base stations and V2X communication nodes. Attaining broad coverage demands a substantial financial commitment and cooperation among telecommunications firms, network and infrastructure operators, governmental entities, and other parties. The geographic variation in infrastructure development poses another obstacle, as certain regions may face challenges in establishing the necessary network infrastructure, hindering the uniform adoption of 5G a V2X communication. Addressing these challenges requires cohesive initiatives, thoughtful strategizing, and regulatory backing to guarantee the smooth integration of 5G technology into infrastructure, ultimately catering to the connectivity requirements of connected vehicles.

How do interoperability challenges between different generations of wireless technologies affect the seamless transition to 5G for V2X communication, and what initiatives can be taken to facilitate smoother coexistence between technologies?       Issues such as compatibility, where diverse wireless technologies may have disparate standards, protocols, and architectures, can lead to communication failures or inefficiencies. Furthermore, the issue of spectrum scarcity arises when various wireless technologies compete for identical or neighbouring spectrum bands, leading to potential interference, congestion, or diminished performance. Differences in security and encryption levels among diverse wireless technologies can potentially expose V2X communication to security risks, rendering it vulnerable to attacks or breaches.

Various initiatives can be undertaken to promote more seamless coexistence among wireless technologies in the realm of V2X communication. One notable approach is the implementation of network slicing, creating multiple virtual networks on a single physical network with different characteristics and requirements, enhances network performance, customization, and isolation of V2X communication. These initiatives collectively contribute to a more harmonized and efficient coexistence between different generations of wireless technologies in the transition to 5G for V2X communication. HARMAN’s Ready Connect TCU product comes with scalable and future proof architecture to upgrade from one modem generation to another based on different 3GPP standards. Additionally, standards organizations such as OMNIAIR—where HARMAN also participates as a key industry board member, are helping to drive interoperability across V2X solution providers with global forums, testing days, and sharing of information to help solution providers drive enhanced coexistence and compatibility.