Cellular V2X inches forward as Europe risks being left behind

Autotalks last week said it would expand its vehicle-to-everything (V2X) partnership with Hyundai Mobis – the carmaker’s division focusing on mobility sensors and software. Hyundai Mobis already uses Autotalks for its Mobis MTCU generation 1 modules. Its next generation will also use the Israeli company’s technology to offer more advanced features in new vehicles starting in 2024.

Media reports broadly categorize the deal as 5G-based, or about cellular V2X (C-V2X) – a technology that is slowly but steadily making its way into cars worldwide, despite many European obstacles.

More specifically, the technology will include what Autotalks calls Day 2 V2X, which receives signals from other vehicles’ sensors, for example when there is a risk of a side collision because a driver cannot see the other car. This is in addition to so-called Day 1 capabilities, which provide the vehicle with basic situational awareness, such as alerting a driver to a vehicle braking in front without taking any automatic action.

Autotalks is set to be acquired by Qualcomm in a deal reportedly worth between $350 million and $400 million. Antitrust probes in the EU and US could, however, interfere with that.

But what exactly is V2X? The term combines vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communications. A car using V2X should be able to communicate with its surroundings to enhance safety and traffic fluency. In a (more or less) distant future where the technology matures and becomes prevalent, a car could rely on it for real-time traffic information, coordination with other vehicles when changing lanes and to improve traffic flows or be alerted to an approaching cyclist.

While the idea of V2X communications has been around for many years, the technology has not yet become widespread. It has been hindered by a lack of infrastructure deployment as well as a split within the industry as to which communication standard should be used.

Long way to go

Many countries, including the US and China, are focusing on 5G. But in Europe, an older dedicated short-range communications standard, called DSRC, has long been in use, mainly because of support from Volkswagen. It is relatively cheap to implement and based on more established technology, but its main use is collision avoidance, giving it a narrower range of applications than 5G. The longer-range cellular technology can also be used for navigation, traffic data and entertainment, as well as (in theory) autonomous driving.

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