通信行業(yè)已經(jīng)開始堅定不移地執(zhí)行4G升5G的計劃，汽車行業(yè)也將受益頗多。一級廠商已經(jīng)開始將第五代無線技術納入自身增強車輛安全性，推動自動駕駛發(fā)展的計劃之中。
在最近舉行的移動通信世界大會(Mobile World Congress)上，會議焦點之一就是在2020年左右將5G技術推入市場，通信行業(yè)普遍認為，屆時互聯(lián)汽車將扮演重要角色。LG電子(LG Electronics)和英特爾(Intel)已開始合作，致力于將5G技術帶入汽車行業(yè)。愛立信(Ericsson)和吉利汽車(Geely Auto)則圍繞互聯(lián)汽車服務展開合作，稱他們將逐步推出基于5G網(wǎng)絡的自動駕駛功能。
5G網(wǎng)絡升級已成為全球熱點。歐盟委員會(EuropeanCommission)與2013年成立的5G公私合作聯(lián)盟(5G Public-Private Partnership)強調了5G技術可以從哪些方面提高汽車的安全性。5G網(wǎng)絡的逐步升級將改變網(wǎng)聯(lián)功能的地位。
“過去，更快的網(wǎng)絡技術曾成功助力了更多信息娛樂功能的實現(xiàn)。”大陸汽車(Continental Automotive)通信系統(tǒng)研發(fā)經(jīng)理Rob Gee表示，“隨著ADAS（高級駕駛員借助系統(tǒng)）的安裝率不斷提高，我們認為下一代移動網(wǎng)絡將逐漸普及，有助于極大地增強車輛自動駕駛系統(tǒng)、提高車輛安全。”
V2V和5G可以共存嗎？
升級5G網(wǎng)絡很有吸引力，這是因為這種技術可以顯著提高帶寬并降低延遲。值得注意，延遲對汽車安全的影響非常關鍵，快速的網(wǎng)絡響應對汽車行業(yè)必不可少。因此，各大供應商都加足馬力，保證5G技術一旦成熟，汽車生產(chǎn)商就有能力快速加以采用。
“偉世通正在投資研發(fā)一種車內技術，即無線網(wǎng)關。這種技術可以幫助汽車生產(chǎn)商在無需重建汽車架構的前提下，快速升級為5G網(wǎng)絡。”偉世通(Visteon)通信與互聯(lián)汽車技術部經(jīng)理Martin Green表示，“我們已經(jīng)應用了一些4G與5G之間的中間技術，尤其是LTE-V網(wǎng)絡互聯(lián)的實現(xiàn)。”
市場觀察者指出，一旦完成測試，通信供應商將有能力快速整合新技術。如今，4G升5G的過渡期將比當初3G升4G短。
“4G升級至5G相對更加容易，”Frost & Sullivan公司移動性高級研究分析師RamnathEswaravadivoo表示，“成本也不會像當初升4G時那么高，僅需再多建幾個信號基站就行了。”
然而， Eswaravadivoo指出在美國新建信號基站并不像在韓國這樣面積較小的國家中那么容易。他還認為韓國將成為推廣5G技術的領導者。如果美國從2020年開始推廣5G，這或許會與V2V/V2I（車間互聯(lián)及汽車與基礎設施互聯(lián)）通信的發(fā)展保持同步。目前，行業(yè)已經(jīng)建立了V2X（車聯(lián)網(wǎng)）標準，將利用專用短程通信（簡稱DSRC）促進動駕駛技術的進步。
哈曼(Harman)商業(yè)發(fā)展總監(jiān)HansRoth表示，“向自動駕駛方向發(fā)展的公司需要借助V2V（車間互聯(lián)）的力量。” 最近，哈曼在與恩智浦半導體(NXP Semiconductors)合作開發(fā)V2X技術。
這就引出了一個問題：V2V與5G技術相互共存、彼此競爭的局面將會是怎樣？很多人認為市場存在足夠大的空間，可以讓這兩種技術一起發(fā)展。對比之下，針對V2X的研究已經(jīng)開展了很多年，可以稱得上一種相對成熟的選擇。
“毫無疑問，5G技術可以實現(xiàn)V2X系統(tǒng)的部分功能，但V2X系統(tǒng)畢竟已經(jīng)出現(xiàn)很多年了，”恩智浦商業(yè)發(fā)展汽車高級總監(jiān)Maurice Geraets表示，“而5G技術明年才計劃開始首輪測試。”
V2X與5G這對技術間的競爭可以會發(fā)生在基礎設施方面。路邊站點等V2I連接基礎設施的投資方是囊中羞澀的交通管理部門，而5G技術卻有資金充裕的網(wǎng)絡供應商支持，因此部分公司可能會逐漸向5G技術傾斜。
“LTE-V技術是通向5G技術的一個階段，這類網(wǎng)絡解決方案可以在一定程度上降低基礎設施的成本，對于汽車來說尤其如此。”Green表示，“然而，與V2X技術一樣，5G網(wǎng)絡也同樣需要在很多不毛之地建造基礎設施，這可不是能賺錢的商業(yè)案例。無論是利用5G或是DSRC，任何基于汽車的V2V解決方案都僅能在人口密度足夠高的區(qū)域發(fā)揮作用。”
他指出，因此只能通過“制定強制性國際標準來保證互操作性”，推動基礎設施建設。
安全問題
未來可能會出現(xiàn)針對V2X系統(tǒng)的強制規(guī)定，很多觀察者認為，這些規(guī)定是必須的，只有這樣才能確保企業(yè)投資建造的系統(tǒng)，只有在車輛具備兼容連接條件時才能發(fā)揮作用（從而使汽車廠商更加重視車輛兼容連接性的實現(xiàn)）。而當供應商推出更多可以兼容汽車系統(tǒng)的消費產(chǎn)品時，汽車公司才會愿意為5G技術投資。
“一些基于5G網(wǎng)絡的非汽車類應用功能開發(fā)起來相對容易，比如基于5G技術的家庭門鎖，或家庭照明控制模塊，這些系統(tǒng)相對簡單，很容易獨立開發(fā)，從而可以極大地增加可無線兼容5G汽車的功能數(shù)量。” Gee表示，“一些發(fā)展迅速的消費技術將有機會進入汽車領域，OEM也可以選用最適合的車輛交互產(chǎn)品。”
Gee解釋說，由于復雜程度和安全方面的更高要求，事故追蹤與報告系統(tǒng)等更加復雜的項目仍需更多時間才能實現(xiàn)應用。
對車輛安全的重視也同時凸顯了對網(wǎng)絡安全功能的需求，由于車輛互聯(lián)為黑客打開了大門，汽車網(wǎng)絡安全問題至關重要。當車輛開始依賴這些通信系統(tǒng)給出的信息做出反應時，本已讓人擔憂的汽車安全，更是讓人愈發(fā)憂心忡忡。
“V2X技術對通信系統(tǒng)的安全提出了更高要求，” Roth表示，“所有信息均將進入車輛的電子系統(tǒng)，協(xié)助系統(tǒng)做出正確的應對決定。如果車輛接收的信息要求車輛進行制動，那你肯定有必要確定這條信息的真實性。”
作者：Terry Costlow
來源：SAE《汽車工程》雜志
翻譯：SAE 上海辦公室
Autos gain spotlight as telecoms gear up for 5G
The telecommunications industry has begun firming up plans to upgrade from 4G to 5G cellular networks, citing the automotive industry as an important beneficiary. Tier 1s are beginning to incorporate this fifth-generation wireless technology into their plans to enhance safety as they push towards autonomous driving.
Deploying 5G into the market by around 2020 was a focus at the recent Mobile World Congress, with connected vehicles playing a large role in show's telecom-industry announcements. LG Electronics and Intel teamed up to bring 5G technologies to the vehicle. Ericsson and Geely Auto partnered around connected-car services, saying they will gradually introduce 5G-based autonomous-driving functionality.
Interest in the 5G upgrade is global. The European Commission and the 5G Public-Private Partnership, a consortium formed in 2013, highlighted ways that 5G could improve vehicle safety. The eventual transition to 5G will alter the role of connectivity.
“In the past, faster cellular technologies were perceived as the harbingers for increased infotainment,” said Rob Gee, Telematics Systems Engineering Manager atContinental Automotive. “With the rising installation rates of ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems), we anticipate the next generations of cellular to be increasingly used to improve highly automated driving systems and to improve vehicular safety.”
Can V2V and 5G coexist?
Upgrading to 5G cellular technology is appealing because it will significantly increase bandwidth while slashing latency. The latter is a critical factor for safety, since quick responses are mandatory. Suppliers are gearing up to ensure that automakers can adapt quickly once 5G materializes.
“Visteon is investing in in-car technology, known as a wireless gateway, which will enable automakers to quickly transition to 5G without having to tear up the vehicle architecture,” said Martin Green, Telematics and Connected Car Technology Manager at Visteon. “We are already incorporating some of the intermediate technologies between 4G and 5G, specifically LTE-Vehicle.”
Market watchers note that once telecom suppliers finish trials, they can incorporate new technologies fairly quickly. The transition from 4G to 5G could be shorter than the shift from 3G to today’s 4G connections.
“Companies can enhance 4G to 5G comparatively easily,” said Ramnath Eswaravadivoo, Frost & Sullivan’s Mobility Senior Research Analyst. “The costs won’t be nearly as high as they were going to 4G. A couple more towers can make it work.”
However, he noted that in the U.S., adding towers won’t be nearly as easy as in small countries like South Korea, which he said may be a leader in the 5G rollout. If the U.S. rollout begins around 2020, it may coincide with the advent of vehicle-to-vehicle/infrastructure (V2X) communications. The industry has developed V2X standards using dedicated short-range communications (DSRC) as an enabler for automated and autonomous driving.
“Companies working towards autonomous driving need V2V capabilities,” said Hans Roth, Director of Business Development at Harman. Harman recently teamed up with NXP Semiconductors to develop V2X technologies.
That raises questions about how V2V and 5G will co-exist and compete. Many believe there’s a spot for both. V2X studies have been going on for years, so it’s viewed as the more mature option.
“5G can definitely do some of the things that V2X can do, but current V2X systems have been in the field for years,” said Maurice Geraets, Senior Director Business Development Automotive at NXP. “5G is still looking at doing its first tests next year.”
The competition aspect of the V2X-5G matchup may occur on the infrastructure side. Vehicle-to-infrastructure links such as roadside stations may require investment by cash-strapped traffic management agencies, so those functions may drift to 5G, leveraging the investment of cellular providers.
“Cellular solutions such as LTE-V, which is on a roadmap to 5G, can partially reduce the infrastructure cost, especially in cars,” Green said. “However, like V2X, the business-case issue of installing service on a roadside in the middle of nowhere remains. A purely car-based V2V solution, whether it is 5G or DSRC, can only be effective when there is sufficient population density."
He noted that this can only be driven by "a mandated approach around international standards to ensure inter-operability.”
Safety and security issues
Regulatory mandates for V2X systems are expected, and many observers feel they’re necessary to get companies to spend money creating systems that only work if other vehicles have compatible links. Spending on 5G will occur as providers ramp up consumer products that may work with automotive systems.
“Less-complex systems, such as 5G-enabled home door locks or home lighting-control modules, could be developed quickly and independently from the automotive realm and could greatly expand the number of features that are wirelessly compatible with 5G-equipped vehicles,” Gee said. “This would allow such fast-moving consumer technologies to be available for automotive use, allowing OEMs to select the most appropriate products to interface with their vehicles."
More complex projects, such as an incident tracking and reporting system, would still take time due to complexity and its safety-related nature, Gee explained.
The focus on safety also highlights the need for security, which has become a critical issue as connectivity opens doors for hackers. When cars take action based on these communications, already high security concerns are ratcheted up.
“With V2X, there will be even higher needs for secure communications,” Roth said. “All the information goes to vehicle electronics so the system can make the right decisions for action. If your car receives a message that causes it to brake, you must be sure that message is authentic.”
Author: Terry Costlow
Source: SAE Automotive Engineering Magazine
偉世通的互聯(lián)性架構將進一步推動5G網(wǎng)絡系統(tǒng)的拓展。