The ability to update a vehicle’s software and access cloud data is transforming the automotive industry. As software defined vehicles (SDVs) redefine driving, seamless vehicle connectivity has become a necessity, delivering the strong, reliable network connections that SDVs rely on.
As traditional auto manufacturers now compete with newer, software-led automakers to harness real-time data, the quality of their network connectivity will ensure improved vehicle performance, enhanced experiences and ultimately a stronger customer base.
Why Satellite-based non-terrestrial network (NTN) has such a key role
While current automotive connectivity relies mainly on terrestrial networks (TN), NTN technology is set to play a pivotal role in the next decade. This is primarily due to NTN’s breadth of coverage globally and its ability to reach areas that terrestrial networks can’t.
NTNs will be able to provide more resilient vehicle connectivity as well as redundancy in emergency situations because they are less susceptible to physical disruptions like natural disasters and structural damage. This will improve the end-user vehicle experience with capabilities around emergency messaging, remote access, vehicle diagnostics and entertainment.
Vijay Krishnan – VP Strategic Partnerships, Skylo Technologies
Terrestrial networks (TNs) are traditional ground-based communication networks. They consist of infrastructure like cell towers, fibre optic cables and other land-based technologies that provide connectivity services.
Key examples of TNs include 4G and 5G cellular networks, cable broadband and fibre optic internet. TNs are a great connectivity option in heavily populated areas but are limited by physical geography and can be less reliable in remote and rural locations.
Non-terrestrial networks (NTNs) use space-based or airborne platforms to provide widespread communication services.
Early NTN satellites were first launched in the 2010s and now include:
- Geostationary Earth Orbiting (GEO)
- Medium Earth Orbiting (MEO)
- Low Earth Orbiting (LEO)
- High-altitude platforms (HAPs) and
- Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) like drones
With NTNs gaining momentum, they will play a major role in the
future of global automotive connectivity. Further benefits of NTN connectivity include:
- Scalability: NTN can provide new coverage without the need for costly ground infrastructure to be laid first, leading to lower overall infrastructure maintenance and deployment costs over large areas.
- Emergency communication: NTNs enable vehicles to communicate with emergency services from anywhere, improving response times and outcomes during collisions or mechanical breakdowns.
Non-terrestrial network connectivity: GEO and LEO satellites
Over the next decade, two main types of satellites will play a crucial role in modern networks. Though they differ in their altitudes, orbital periods, coverage areas and latencies, both will be important in enabling automakers to gather and act on real-time vehicle data.
Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) satellites orbit the Earth at the same rotation rate as the planet, keeping it above a fixed point and therefore appearing as ‘stationary.’ As they are high above the planet, fewer satellites are required to cover a large surface area. This means they can provide consistent coverage for services that do not require low latency such as vehicle diagnostics and fleet management. They can also provide support to vehicles in a selected area for infotainment services, including radio signal and entertainment streaming.
However, while GEOs cover more ground and provide consistent coverage to a fixed location, their high latency means they are less useful for vehicle connectivity which is the backbone of the software defined vehicle.
Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites, on the other hand, do provide low-latency connectivity and higher bandwidth, making them ideal for more demanding, real-time automotive needs. LEOs, as the name suggests, orbit closer to the Earth’s surface than GEO satellites and move rapidly in relation to the planet’s rotation. The orbit of a LEO does not have to follow a particular path around the Earth, providing more available routes than a GEO, which has limited coverage in polar regions due to its limiting equatorial orbit. LEO satellites can provide connectivity in remote areas and support applications demanding constant, real-time data exchange. This makes them essential for advanced automotive technologies such as autonomous driving and vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication.
Both satellite constellation types have their benefits when it comes to delivering comprehensive coverage for vehicles, it is LEOs which have the greater long-term impact, enabling enhanced driving experiences with no coverage gaps to a rapidly evolving automotive industry. While GEO satellites excel in narrowband coverage, LEO satellites are superior for low latency and high bandwidth where available.
The future
NTN technology is still in its early stages; the use of NTNs on GEO satellites is relatively new, and the build out of LEO constellations is still some years away.
NTNs are a complement to, rather than a replacement of, terrestrial networks. They can provide connectivity where no terrestrial network is available or can increase the available data rate where terrestrial connectivity is limited. The focus now is on delivering solutions that will leverage both TN and NTN, providing ubiquitous connectivity for OEMs. Such technology will not only enable reliable vehicle operations but also enhance the end-user experience in areas such as: emergency assistance, navigation reliability, in-vehicle entertainment and, in the future, autonomous driving.
Gari Martin, SVP Commercial GTM, Cubic3
Initially, NTN technology will use GEO satellites for low bandwidth, non-latency sensitive applications like SOS alerts and vehicle diagnostics. Over time, as new LEO constellations are launched, it will be possible to support higher bandwidth use cases such as over-the air (OTA) updates, HD map updates, and vehicle diagnostics from the cloud based on digital twins. In the long-term, NTNs will enable latency-sensitive functions, such as advanced collision avoidance and cooperative driving, essential for autonomous vehicles.
Summary
With the transition to software-defined vehicle architecture, vehicle functionality will be largely determined by software rather than its hardware capabilities. This shift demands reliable, global connectivity to support critical functions and services. Manufacturers must achieve global, high-speed, always-on connectivity to successfully transform into software-first entities and meet evolving consumer mobility demands. Non-Terrestrial Network connectivity will be central to delivering on this vision.
