Qualcomm Develops Integrated V2X System

San Diego-based Qualcomm Inc. says it has developed its first stand-alone chipset for vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communications.

The 9150 C-V2X chipset will be available for commercial sampling in the second half of 2018, with Audi, Ford, PSA and China’s SAIC due to be among the first to test the technology. Qualcomm expects applications in production vehicles to start in 2019.

Using 4G and upcoming 5G cellular technology, the new chipset will enable vehicles to connect to other cars and trucks, bicyclists, pedestrians and the surrounding infrastructure—all without a mobile network provider or SIM card. The system will operate over the 5.9 GHz broadcast band set aside by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission for V2X-type dedicated short range communications.

The new chipset can be installed directly into a vehicle's wireless modem, allowing vehicle systems to connect to cellular and wireless networks. The device has an application processor that meets the latest guidelines from the U.S. Dept. of Transportation’s Intelligent Transportation Systems office and has global navigation satellite system capability.

V2X communications will supplement GPS, cameras, radar, lidar and ultrasonic sensors to support emerging automated driving systems and share information with other road users and emergency services. Such an integrated approach will extend the communication range—including non-line-of-site—and improve reliability, Qualcomm notes.

Current 4G LTE cellular technology allows chips to communicate basic traffic information. Next-generation 5G LTE technology will be to handle more data and prioritize various communications, which Qualcomm says will enable such complex operations as truck platooning.