LG Innotek announced on May 28th that it has developed the world’s first vehicular '3rd Generation 5G Communication Module' supporting broadband 5G satellite communication (NR-NTN). This innovation allows high-speed, high-capacity communication via satellites, even in regions beyond the reach of terrestrial base stations, marking a significant milestone in the advancement of autonomous vehicle technology.
Previously, vehicular satellite communication was limited to narrowband (NB-NTN, approximately 0.2MHz), capable of handling only low-capacity data such as text messages. In contrast, LG Innotek's new product, a 3rd Generation 5G communication module utilizing NR-NTN with a broadband of approximately 30MHz, offers enhanced performance with transmission speeds of several tens of Mbps and latency reduced to a few hundred milliseconds.
This allows vehicles to transmit and receive large amounts of data, including voice and video, in real-time, even in deserts, mountainous areas, or during disasters when infrastructure may be compromised, significantly enhancing both communication stability and safety.
The '3rd Generation 5G Communication Module' is also expected to greatly aid the advancement of autonomous driving functionalities. It can receive more accurate location data via satellites and update autonomous driving software in real-time. As a vital component of SDVs (Software Defined Vehicles), this module is anticipated to improve the speed and precision of autonomous vehicle responses.
Utilizing Release 17, the latest 5G standard from 3GPP, the module ensures compatibility with global communication infrastructure and various vehicle models. Release 17 is the first international standard to cover non-terrestrial networks such as satellites, serving as a crucial foundation for global expansion.
LG Innotek plans to start mass production of this product in the first quarter of 2025 and is actively promoting it to North American and Japanese car brands. This product is set to further strengthen LG Innotek's leadership in communication technology, complementing its existing portfolio of vehicle communication components such as the ‘1st Generation Vehicle 5G Module’, ‘2nd Generation 5G-V2X’, and ‘Digital Key’.
Yoo Byung-kook, Senior Vice President of LG Innotek's Automotive Components Division, stated, "This 3rd generation module is a product that can decisively widen the technological gap in the vehicle communication field. We plan to enhance customer value with differentiated technology and grow the vehicular communication module business into a trillion-won key growth engine."
According to industry forecasts, vehicles equipped with 5G communication modules are expected to soar from approximately 4 million units in 2024 to 75 million units by 2032, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 43%. Utilizing this technological breakthrough, LG Innotek aims to establish a leading position in the rapidly growing global automotive electronics market.
