Connected Cars Connect the Future

Connected Cars: Cellular Technology is Essential. The number of connected cars that benefit from internal and external Internet access and growing smart options is rising, expected to reach 152 million by 2020 , according to IHS Automotive . Major OEMs are already investing in further developing connectivity for applications ranging from security services such as stolen vehicle recovery to infotainment programs such as video streaming. As a result, the car is rapidly evolving from a mechanical means of transportation to a highly intelligent computer device, with enhanced functionality similar to that of a smartphone.

The comparison to smartphones doesn’t stop there. Cellular connectivity and its various standards ( 2G , 3G , 4G ) play a crucial role, given the various wireless technologies that connect car services and the vast amounts of data that must be uploaded from the car to the cloud. Surveys show that safety is the top customer requirement for connected cars, and safety cannot be improved without cellular connectivity. An example is the EU eCall directive, which requires that by 2018 all new cars be pre-installed with equipment that automatically calls emergency services in the event of an accident. In addition to safety, cellular data streaming is also needed to provide maps, real-time weather, traffic and parking data. For car diagnostics and remote engine control, cellular data will be used to deliver varying levels of speed, throughput, reliability and availability. This is how mobile operators anticipate the development of connected cars, and another device that will join the network.

Automakers are gradually beginning to embed connectivity into cars to provide a connected experience similar to that of smartphones.

(By 2020 , the number of connected cars benefiting from internal and external Internet access will reach 152 million.)

Free your hands!

By 2020 , consumers will be able to buy cars that can drive themselves on highways. Safe and convenient driverless technology will change traditional mobility.

The concept of autonomous vehicles relies on precise knowledge of the car’s position and velocity in all driving conditions, requiring a complex combination of technologies: GNSS , sensors (radar or cameras), cellular connectivity, and secure and reliable communications between vehicles ( V2V ) and from vehicles to the surrounding infrastructure ( V2I ).

u-blox has the cutting-edge technology needed to make autonomous vehicles a practical issue. As a leader in satellite positioning since the launch of the world's first surface-mount GPS module in 1998 , u-blox now offers robust automotive-grade GNSS integrated circuits and modules that provide reliable multi-satellite reception for all major satellite constellations around the world: GPS , GLONASS , BeiDou and Galileo. In several products, reception of information from three constellations is also supported simultaneously.

Some u-blox GNSS modules use superior dead reckoning technology to ensure accurate positioning when satellite navigation signals are affected, such as in dense urban environments, carports or multi-level intersections. All u-blox devices are designed to reduce errors caused by multipath reception and other real-world issues. In addition, positioning accuracy and reliability can be improved by using u-blox services such as CellLocate® , which combines cellular mobile network data with satellite signals and AssistNow™ to accelerate the reception of positioning data.

Figure 1: In autonomous driving mode, the driving interface displays the street conditions in front of the vehicle.

For assisted driving and autonomous vehicles, GNSS will be an important component of the system. It is particularly important to be able to determine the position in 3D , such as at multi-level intersections. High-accuracy data (meaning ±1.0 m) with lane-accurate accuracy will need to be provided quickly 95% of the time . This level of accuracy requires a data correction service that is more accurate than existing services.

Throughout the entire communication chain of the car, integrity and functional safety are undoubtedly key considerations. u-blox products are already resistant to spoofing, jamming and other types of malicious attacks. The next generation of products will go a step further and incorporate all the necessary innovations to provide the required level of system safety.

u-blox offers a modular approach to the wireless technologies required for assisted and autonomous driving: GNSS , V2X , WiFi and cellular radio modules. Designed specifically for automotive applications, these products not only complement each other but can also be quickly and easily combined with each other and used in automotive systems.

Figure 2 : Passengers are having a free conversation while the car is driving itself.

This article is taken from u-blox's internal magazine "Connected Car"