SMT Perspectives & Prospects: What I Hope the Next Generation Will Carry Forward
Learning With Leo: Observations from IPC Builds in Paris
LG Innotek announced on the 6th on succeeding the development of '5G-V2X Cellular Module' that is significantly improved with the long-distance data transmission based on Qualcomm's chip and reception on V2X (Vehicle to Everything).
From the development of this new product supporting the ultra-high speed 5G vehicle communication, LG Innotek is now able to accelerate the target on the self-driving car components market.
Vehicle communication supported with ultra-high speed 5G
- Essential element for safety in autonomous driving
'5G-V2X Cellular Module' is a 5G mobile communication technology and component supporting the data transmission and reception on V2V (vehicle-to-vehicle), V2P (vehicle-to-pedestrian) and V2I (vehicle-to-infrastructure), and this technology. This is the reason why '5G-V2X Cellular Module' considered to be an essential element for safety in autonomous driving.
This part is mounted mostly in the vehicle communication device inside the car or on the roof in form of a module combined with a communication chip, memory, RF (Radio Frequency) circuit, etc., to receive large amount of data required for driving from the base station near the cars.
The industry estimates that the daily average data produced by one autonomous driving vehicle will be about 4TB(4,000GB), which is a capacity possible for downloading 8,000 films of 90-min movie (average of 0.5GB per movie). When processing this enormous capacity of data, speed is the key.
For example, when the road is stuck due to an unexpected accident, this road condition should have been sent to the advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) for finding bypass shortly. But if data transmission is delayed, we cannot eliminate the possibility of the secondary accidents due to entering of the cars which don't have any information on this situation.
This explains why 5G technology is receiving the spotlight in the autonomous driving field where immediate response to the real-time changes in situation is needed.
Therefore, most of the experts are expecting that the paradigm of global automobile industry will be converted to adopting the cellular module based on 5G instead of the LTE(4G).
Data download speed quadrupled…Component downsized by up to 20%
In 2019, LG Innotek launched the 1st generation vehicle 5G cellular module for the first time in the world, and in this newly developed 2nd generation module has quadrupled V2X data download speed from 35Mbps to 150Mbps, 4 times higher compared to the existing product.
LG Innotek sophisticated the temperature control algorithm to minimize the high frequency 5G signal loss due to direct sunlight and heat. As a result, 5G vehicle communication maintaining high-quality even in high temperature of 194? is provided. Thanks to this increase in durability, the long distance V2X communication up to 0.62~0.93mile can be stably supported through the 5G network.
In addition, LG Innotek's 2nd generation '5G-V2X cellular Module' was developed in the size of 46mm×50mm, which is reduced in size up to 20% compared to the existing product. It is half size of a credit card, and possible to be mounted conveniently inside and outside the cars.
While reducing the module size, LG Innotek's unique high-density, high-precision technologies were utilized to gather 800 components for 5G communication into one product such as the communication chip and memory, etc. Compared to the 1st generation module that included about 480 parts, the number of parts mounted in the module increased by 60%, showing the improvement of quality and performance in the communication.
Moreover, the latest 5G standard (3GPP Release 16) from 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) was adopted to enable the use of the module regardless of the nations, terrain, and the types of cars. By strengthening the compatibility of the product, LG Innotek secured more favorable position in attracting customers for the self-driving vehicle components.
"Innovative components for the autonomous driving vehicles will be introduced continuously to create differentiated customer value"
For the goal of commercializing the 2nd generation '5G-V2X cellular Module' by 2025, LG Innotek is performing various promotional activities not only in Korea, but also on global automobile companies and automotive electronics makers in Europe, USA and Japan.
Byaeng-kuk Yoo, Vice President of Automotive Components & Electronics Business Unit, stated that "2nd generation '5G-V2X cellular Module' will become a key component in opening the period of fully autonomous driving," and added, "As the 'total solution provider on future vehicles', LG Innotek will continue to introduce innovative products on electronic components for the future cars to create differentiated value for the customer".
Meanwhile, according to the market survey agency Techno System Research (TSR), the number of cars mounted with 5G communication module in all over the world is expected to increase from 1.7 million in this year to 21.8 million by 2027.
