V2X Communication in the 5G era
Overview of 5G
As country after country deploys 5G infrastructure, it is apparent that the dawn of the fourth industrial revolution is finally upon us. Similarly to how digital technologies and the introduction of the internet changed the world, 5G will mark a paradigmatic shift in how the world is experienced by fulfilling the potential of connecting billions of people and everyday things to the digital world. In essence, this can be described as the realization of the Internet of Everything, which will result in the convergence of digital, physical and biological systems. Accordingly, the number of IoT devices such as, connected cars, sensors and machines will increase by more than double by 2024, as shown in the chart below.
To align with the goals of ubiquitous connectivity, 5G has been engineered to increase speed, decrease latency and enhance flexibility of wireless services. It can reach speeds of 20 Gbps at 1ms latency with a much greater capacity for data transferability, all whilst remaining more reliable than its counterpart, 4G. This is all made possible through 5G New Radio, an advanced network architecture with a broader spectrum of coverage that allows multiple inputs and outputs of data simultaneously. This will enable Massive and Critical IoT deployments for smart cities, commercial industries, AV’s and largely improve the healthcare and AR/VR industries.
Furthermore, 5G utilizes a software defined networking architecture which is supported by networking functionality that will be managed by software on cloud-based applications rather than physical hardware functions. This will deliver more dynamic configuration possibilities for different data traffic and deployment scenarios, enabling the creation of IoT ecosystems that can interact with each other.
Transformation of V2X Communication in the 5G Era
Vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication refers to the transmission of real-time data between vehicles and external entities that enables more predictive driving for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles. Naturally, these mission critical systems require high-bandwidth, low latency and highly reliable communication in order to power the rapid communication that is needed by computers to make split-second decisions in real-world driving scenarios. V2X communication is one of the key technologies in the roadmap to fully commercialized AV’s due to its contributions to road safety and traffic efficiency. In the US alone, it will save 1000 lives per year and result in a reduction of 2.3 million non-fatal injuries, as well as a 14% decrease in global greenhouse emissions.
In addition to fulfilling the technical requirements needed for V2X communication, 5G can also support up to 1 million connections per square kilometre in contrast to 4G, which can support 60,680 connections. This means that it has the potential to power the scale of implementation needed in all types of vehicles, devices and infrastructure for V2X systems to be able to efficiently communicate.
The V2X ecosystem consists of four communication types, as illustrated in the figure below:
- Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V)
- Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I)
- Vehicle-to-Pedestrian (V2P)
- Vehicle-to-Network (V2N)
With the introduction of 5G technologies, Cellular-V2X (C-V2X) communication is more feasible than ever. Nevertheless, the challenge that persists for V2X communication is the ability to maintain interoperability between all different types of IoT devices. For this reason, even though it is now possible to engage in mass V2X communication, there still needs to be a solution to understanding all of the data that will be transmitted to and from vehicles, which has to be converted into information that can be understood and acted upon by the brains of AV’s. Therefore, one of the most important components of V2X communication is the software and the degree of reliability it presents in terms of both interpretation of communications and security.
Companies like Savari and Cohda Wireless have already developed software that is compatible with older V2X communications running on Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC). In the face of 5G, these companies must update their software to adapt to the new scope of C-V2X Communications.
In the next post we will delve further into the specific use-cases of 5G C-V2X Communication, discuss the requirements of the software and the corresponding challenges.
