A study by Juniper Research reveals that by 2027, 5G will be accounting for about 23% of the total global automotive cellular connections.
As it stands, the constant evolution of the IoT industry has led automotive companies to:
- Reap its benefits for better speed and efficiency
- Maintain the competitive edge while welding the future for better functioning in the connected vehicle ecosystem
Gartner outlines that connected cars will provide the most extensive market for 5G IoT in 2023, representing about 53% of the entire 5G IoT market. There is a good reason for this rising trajectory of 5G-connected cars in the market. The new features of 5G IoT, like decreased latency and improved reliance, accuracy, and throughput, make it possible to incorporate improved capabilities like autonomous driving and various other safety-sensitive features that we will discuss here on.
V2X – 5G IoT’s Revolutionary Feature
Cellular Vehicles to Everything (C-V2X) technology allows vehicles to be reactive and responsive to the events that happen around them. It enables automotives to collect data from devices around them and use it for a variety of functions. The improved speed and quality of 5G actualize all the benefits of V2X connections.
While C-V2X is available on 4G devices as well, it is not possible to reap the full benefits of this capability, primarily because it lacks the increased speed and improved connectivity quality that 5G brings to the table. Here are some of the different kinds of connections that are possible:
V2V
Vehicle to Vehicle (V2V) connections allow cars to sense obstacles beyond what is seeable. This is achieved by vehicles exchanging certificates through public critical infrastructure when they are approaching one another. As a result, they can sense each other’s presence and avoid a collision.
V2V connections also help drivers perform daily activities such as looking for parking spots and changing lanes. Its route optimization and enhanced driver assistance help make the driving experience way smoother and help them gain adequate control over their vehicle. Technology like the timely detection of an upcoming bridge and its height, as well as advanced features for safe parking, have helped increase the demand for 5G-connected cars.
Above all, V2V works wonders in improving fuel efficiency by guiding vehicles on how to adjust their speed with the location and distance to be covered while on the road.
V2D
Vehicle to Device (V2D) connections involve the exchange of information between the vehicle and an external device. The device may be connected to the car itself as well. Through this form of connection, vehicles can identify pedestrians by connecting with their devices.
Information about the location of pedestrians can save lives, especially in low-visibility areas where sudden movement can be dangerous. Further, fleet managers can collect data about the insides of the car with the help of V2D connectivity, which can help advance data analysis.
V2N
Vehicle to Network (V2N) connections involve the back-end mobile network carrier infrastructure alongside the vehicle. Receiving firmware updates and SIM card updates over the air becomes very easy, as well as managing digital assets such as subscriptions of the vehicle. It also provides cooperative coordination, especially during heavy traffic. This allows ambulances and fire trucks to have a clear road during crowded situations.
This is because V2N helps integrate your car with data centers and ensures consistent and smooth communication, making emergency situations easier to handle.
V2N’s smart road infrastructure makes sure that the vehicle can maintain steady interaction with the external environment to perform some specific tasks. These can include sensing traffic lights and providing the drivers a countdown so that they can slow down, stop, and get ready to drive again at the right time. Further, it sends out a signal if the driver is about to break a traffic signal and drive ahead.
Cloud-Based Electronic Architecture
The low-latency feature of 5G IoT plays a very important role in shifting the ECU or Electronic Control Unit of the vehicle to cloud storage. It also improves fuel, battery, operational efficiency, and emissions.
The electronic architecture also allows for expanding road situational awareness and improving processing capabilities. The cloud is an ideal location for moving multiple tasks categorized as overtly process-centric and complicated.
Some Risks to Consider
While there are opportunities for greater ease of access through the cloud, there are also cyber security issues that need to be worried about. Some of these attacks include:
- Latency issues
- Data privacy
- Data inaccuracy
- Misconfiguration issues
- Hijacking services
- Authentication and management issues
- Man in the middle
- DDoS attacks
While 5G connectivity surely makes driving easier, these risks should be taken into consideration. Drivers need to ensure that their vehicles can function properly even in the absence of this 5G connectivity system. A cloud backup of information will certainly help in case one’s data gets hacked and tampered with.
Get in touch with us to learn how you can tap into the power of 5G and IoT going forward.