Autonomous vehicles and predictive safety
4-minute read
Summary
- High-speed, seamless connectivity for vehicles could allow the next great leap in transport: enabling autonomous vehicles, reducing traffic, improving safety, and maximizing supply chain efficiency
- Satellite connectivity could be a crucial layer in developing ‘cellular Vehicle-to Everything’, or C-V2X, a unified connectivity ecosystem which allows vehicles to stay connected wherever they are.
- We are working with the 5G Automotive Association (5GAA), a global, cross-industry organisation of companies from the automotive, technology, and telecommunications industries (ICT), to develop end-to-end solutions for future mobility and transportation services.
Learn how Viasat and 5GAA are building the transport system of the future
Our transport system has changed much since the first ever motorcar was introduced in the late 1800s. Vehicles have become bigger, faster, safer - and now electric in some cases - but at a systemic level, but there is still major potential for technology to make a difference.
Traffic jams have become a frustrating, but inevitable, part of everyday life. Sadly, road collisions kill more than one million people around the world each year, plus an additional 20-50 million non-fatal injuries, according to the World Health Organization. Emissions from road transport account for up to 15% of global CO2.
Connected automotive technology could help solve these challenges. With satellites helping to power a unified connectivity ecosystem on the ground, vehicles could automatically and autonomously connect with each other and central management platforms to operate more safely, sustainably, and efficiently.
Why does transport need to be connected?
Connectivity is the great enabler of a host of new technologies that could improve transport. We have recently joined the 5G Automotive Association, which is helping to define the next step in the transformation of transport. Counting the likes of Apple, AT&T, Ford, Mercedes, Sony, and now Viasat among its members, the cross-industry organisation is bringing the automotive, technology, and communications industries together.
The ecosystem is working towards the idea of ‘cellular Vehicle-to Everything’, or C-V2X, a connected mobility platform that allows vehicles to interact with their surroundings, such as other vehicles, cyclists, pedestrians, road infrastructure, or mobile networks, in real-time. By connecting individual vehicles and enabling cooperative transport systems, C-V2X could transform how we look at traffic information to enhance travel, reduce pollution, and increase road safety.
Highly reliable satellite networks like Viasat’s could play a key role alongside ground-based cellular to keep vehicles connected. With many vehicles roaming in and out of terrestrial networks multiple times during a journey, satellites could provide global, reliable coverage to complement networks on Earth and offer a seamless experience.
Viasat’s leadership in satellite-based connectivity, particularly their innovative approach on direct-to-device technology, will significantly enhance the 5GAA’s efforts to build a resilient and future-proof C-V2X ecosystem. Their expertise will help us explore new frontiers in vehicle-to-everything communication, especially in areas with limited terrestrial network coverage.
Johannes Springer, Director General, 5GAA
What would the future transport system look like?
A fully connected mobility ecosystem would allow vehicles to communicate with each other, with pedestrians, and cyclists. That could unlock a huge range of benefits, including:
Fleet tracking and management
Real-time visibility significantly enhances safety and fleet management by accurately identifying where transport assets are at any time, understanding fuel usage, and providing feedback on whether drivers are adhering to safety procedures, as well as broader driver behavior. This improve safety, sustainability and efficiency for last-mile deliveries and logistics firms, so quality can be tracked for even the most perishable items, such as foodstuffs or medicine cold chains.
Passenger safety and experience
Safety is the number one priority for public modes of transport and satellite connectivity allows for enhanced safety measures, such as remote monitoring of vehicle conditions, driver behavior analysis, and real-time updates for emergency response systems.
Improved supply chain management
With more reliable and accurate data about the movement of goods, major supply chain operators could plan routes more efficiently and access real-time traffic updates for drivers. It could also allow real-time updates for drivers to improve driving efficiency, for example by slowing down if traffic is up ahead. This all works to save miles, fuel, money, and emissions for operators.
Predictive maintenance alerts for vehicles
Connected vehicles could send real-time updates to drivers or transport operators, including updates like tire pressure, engine temperature, and fuel or oil levels. Improved information could alert drivers a breakdown could be likely before the worst happens.
Autonomous transport
Fully autonomous cars, which don’t have any driver controls and operate completely on their own, are currently undergoing testing in some countries. A connected mobility ecosystem enabling fully autonomous vehicles would likely be more efficient and safer than a system operated completely by humans.
In a world-first, 5GAA has showcased a connected vehicle using non-terrestrial networks (NTN) for emergency messaging, as well as 5G-V2X Direct for advanced detection of vulnerable road users (VRU) in real-traffic conditions.
How will vehicles connect to satellites?
In the future, vehicles could be able to access satellite connectivity alongside cellular networks through a new technology called direct-to-device (D2D).
D2D connectivity is enabling any device – like a mobile phone, industrial machinery, or a vehicle – to connect to satellites directly: that is, without the need for dedicated satellite antenna hardware.
In practice D2D is really the of satellite and terrestrial connectivity, because devices and things which previously could only be connected through terrestrial means will now be connectable via satellite also. It is helping drive ubiquitous global connectivity.
This convergence is being driven by 3GPP’s Release 17 Standards, which are being adopted by satellite operators, mobile network operators and chipset manufacturers to build new services. Release 17 allows for the provision of NB-NTN (narrowband non-terrestrial network) services to compatible devices, including vehicles.
5GAA published a landmark technical report outlining a clear vision for integrating NTN as a complementary layer TN, enhancing coverage and services for connected vehicles. The report presents a comprehensive roadmap for NTN deployment, identifying key phases for narrowband, wideband, and broadband data rates. More information is available here. This is bringing other new organizations into a broadening ecosystem, including mobile network operators, chipset manufacturers, logistics companies, vehicle firms, and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) that wish to embed satellite connectivity into their smartphones, wearables, vehicles, machinery and other devices.
Our vision for direct-to-device is one where an open, transparent, collaborative ecosystem can deliver the best possible experiences and cost efficiencies for end customers. Given the broad scope of use cases – covering anything from smart watches to niche remote monitoring solutions for agriculture – we want to expand our innovation and work with partners to enable wider solutions.
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