The automotive industry is currently in the midst of a transformation cycle, with two hot spots, one being electrified and the other being intelligent. Among them, intelligent networked vehicles are one of the key areas for the application of 5G innovative technologies. Qualcomm, which is also an important technology promoter of the 5G industry and the intelligent networked vehicle industry, is actively bringing innovative technologies such as 5G and AI to the automotive industry. The global unified 5G international standard will also help accelerate the large-scale deployment of C-V2X around the world and accelerate the transformation and upgrading of the automotive industry.
In the automotive sector, Qualcomm has been actively promoting mobile communication innovations to industry standards since the early days. For example, in 2014, Qualcomm proposed to allow direct communication between cars and vehicles, and submitted this concept to 3GPP to promote its standardization process, which has been formed into a standard in 2017. With the advent of the 5G standard, with the active promotion of companies such as Qualcomm, the direct connection communication technology has also been successfully added to the 5G standard as one of the technologies in the REL-16 version, which can support advanced applications such as collaborative driving and sensor sharing. In the latest version of 5G, REL-17, C-V2X technology has been further enhanced, such as enabling cars to reliably communicate with vulnerable traffic participants such as cyclists and pedestrians, further improving the safety and efficiency of transportation. Li Yan, vice president of technical standards at Qualcomm, introduced in a speech at the World 5G Conference that Qualcomm has successfully implemented the C-V2X solution that can improve the travel safety of vulnerable transportation participants such as motorcycles and electric scooters.
In China, Qualcomm is also actively involved in promoting the application of innovative technologies such as 5G in the automotive industry. For example, in 2020, Qualcomm and more than 100 automotive and technology ecological enterprises participated in the "New Four Spans" and large-scale pilot application demonstration activities of China's intelligent networked vehicles C-V2X to solve the interconnection problem between multiple manufacturers and different devices. According to Li, China has done a lot of work in C-V2X network and road construction, and is at the forefront of the global C-V2X field. In 2018, China clarified the working frequency bands of LTE-V2X technology for Internet of Vehicles (IoV) direct communication, laying the foundation for the development of China's C-V2X industry. By the end of 2022, more than 170,000 C-V2X-equipped passenger cars had been delivered in China. So far, more than 8,500 RSUs (roadside equipment) have been built in China.
The global unified standard will help accelerate the global deployment of 5G C-V2X, and also bring new development opportunities for Chinese auto companies to expand into the global market. Qualcomm continues to support the global deployment of C-V2X in the field of chips and technical services, especially to support Chinese enterprises to carry out the in-vehicle integration of RSUs and OBUs (in-vehicle equipment), and help the global development of Chinese automotive industry partners.