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As autonomous vehicles (AVs) continue to develop through advancements in wireless connectivity, embedded systems and artificial intelligence, design challenges and cybersecurity issues remain major concerns. The rollout of electric vehicles and government incentives have spurred momentum toward research and development in AVs and associated vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technologies, including perception sensors, wireless systems-on-chip (SoCs) and edge-data processing.
V2X technology is a key driver for most AVs in development. V2X tech is essentially the ability for vehicles to share important data with other parts of the ecosystem through wireless sensor systems and cellular connectivity technologies. AVs equipped with various sensors, detectors and lasers can expand the scope of the AV driver’s perception, and adding cellular connectivity to these AVs helps improve driving safety and efficiency.
In such systems, perception of the surrounding vehicle environment is enabled by sensing and interpreting external information based on a range of sensors, radar and vision systems. The perception system must provide accurate data with low latency to avoid severe consequences. Autonomous driving relies on this sensor data to make critical decisions, which, if not acted upon quickly, can be fatal and disrupt the driving ecosystem. Companies are addressing this by developing a wireless SoC supporting the latest cellular connectivity standards to reduce the latency of data sharing.
Design challenges in the V2X ecosystem
Developments in computing technologies, such as sensors equipped with machine learning (ML), computer vision and hardware acceleration, have changed the market for autonomous driving. These technologies have enabled the automation of decision-making and control of vehicles using data gathered from multiple sensors. Using communication mechanisms like C-V2X and 5G further enhances the capabilities of autonomous-driving systems, enabling better coordination and communication between vehicles and infrastructure.
The successful implementation of an autonomous-driving system relies on the ability to make reliable and prompt decisions based on the data collected. Additionally, the reliability and accuracy of the data obtained from these technologies must be continuously monitored and evaluated to ensure the optimal functioning of the autonomous-driving system. So developing and maintaining the V2X system is a complex task requiring significant technical expertise.
For the V2X system to operate efficiently, it must connect with multiple components through wireless channels that rely on new and untested technologies. To develop a successful V2X system, wireless-communication protocols, ML algorithms and sensors must be combined and prioritized within a single structure. The integration of these components poses several technical challenges and requires a multi-disciplinary approach.
The V2X system must operate within a broader system that includes many external factors, such as moving vehicles, which behave unpredictably and are subject to changing signal conditions. The V2X system must be designed to account for these external factors, as cellular-signal fluctuations can intermittently affect communication.
Inherently, V2X communication is vulnerable to hackers who could falsify information about connected vehicles. Because the vehicles sometimes move at high speeds, they are often connected with other components briefly, making it difficult to implement security features. Managing the security of V2X networks is a formidable task. The system must be strong and capable of detecting and responding to attacks to safeguard the public’s trust in autonomous driving.
Prioritization, buffering and queuing data techniques from critical security sectors should be paramount in the V2X network. The data received from different components of the V2X system should be prioritized to prevent any collateral damage in the network. The system should also be designed to be compatible with emerging technologies. This can be done by placing interlayer proxies at various points in the communication stack. This allows for easy configuration of the intermediate layers when transferring security features to new platforms.
Wireless SoC evolution in V2X communication
The SoC for V2X communication is evolving to deliver high performance, lower power consumption and smaller form factor. The chip needs to enable the integration of multiple wireless-communication protocols onto a single chip, allowing V2X modules to communicate with different communication standards and adapt to changing ecosystems. This versatility allows the V2X system to communicate effectively among various components.
Qualcomm Technologies recently revealed the latest addition of its Snapdragon Auto 5G Modem-RF Gen 2 for the automotive industry. The platform delivers 50% more processing power, 40% lower power consumption and more than double the maximum throughput for secure connectivity when compared with the previous generation, the company said. The device has also improved location accuracy and supports autonomous-driving features, allowing for use cases like automated valet parking.
NXP Semiconductors’ OrangeBox automotive connectivity domain controller development platform is an end-to-end device with secure wireless connectivity like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth LE, UWB and cellular. The device is built around the i.MX 8XLite application processor, and an S32K safety co-processor makes it suitable for V2X communication.
Despite the fact that 5G-NR V2X provides significant performance improvements and advanced features, its adoption will place additional strain on the current wireless networks. This will result in new technical challenges in data rate, latency, coverage, spectral efficiency, networking and security in vehicular networks.
Because 5G-NR V2X requires heavy spectral and hardware resources, it is anticipated that 5G-NR-based V2X communication networks may struggle to meet the diverse requirements and use cases associated with connected vehicles. With rising demand from 3D displays to holographic control display systems, autonomous-driving and associated technologies push the capacity of the existing wireless networks. 5G-NR communication also inherits the underlying mechanism and system architectures of LTE-based V2X.
To address these issues, researchers suggest that the next generation of wireless technology, 6G, combined with ML, may offer even more benefits for autonomous driving. These include new features like enhanced context awareness, self-aggregation, adaptive coordination and self-configuration. The development of 6G-V2X, which will leverage the advancements in edge computing and network coding, aims to build an integrated architecture that addresses security and privacy concerns while optimizing computing resources. Currently, academic institutions and semiconductor companies are researching and simulating the practical design, testing and deployment of 6G-V2X systems.
Qualcomm and other companies have initiated the development of 6G computing platforms but anticipate that it will take several years before the commercial launch. However, the companies predict that 6G will be the next generation of communication systems in 2030 and beyond, and we may see significant progress toward 6G-V2X in this decade.
While highly connected and cooperative AVs are dependent on wireless-communication devices and SoCs, the arrival of 6G-V2X is expected to bring significant advancements in the technology. Nevertheless, at present, the market is still dominated by 5G-V2X.
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