ESA’s Connectivity and Secure Communications releases new white paper on how space industry aids automotive sector
The European Space Agency's (ESA) Connectivity and Secure Communications directorate has released a white paper exploring how modern technology, particularly the new generation of low Earth orbit non-terrestrial networks (NTNs), has become deeply intertwined with the automotive sector.
The paper – titled “Converging Earth and Space: Advancing Automotive” and featuring research conducted under the Space for 5G/6G and Sustainable Connectivity programme of ESA’s Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES) – explores how the European automotive industry has already leveraged space services for connectivity, navigation and logistics, as well as how there are still avenues to further increase market competitiveness, passenger comfort, and safety by integrating space solutions into the automotive industry.
Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAV) are already here. In response to the modern level of sophistication of transportation infrastructure, as well as the amounts of data generated and exchanged between CAVs in real time, the paper pronounces the need for reliable, secure, and ubiquitous connectivity to ensure adequate accident prevention and traffic management.
The paper also argues that terrestrial networks alone cannot meet the high requirements of safety-critical automotive applications. This creates a natural need for terrestrial and non-terrestrial network integration, resulting in an overall improvement of vehicle connectivity.
One of such improvement to connectivity is the Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) solution that relies on the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) – an international standard for cellular technology – to allow the vehicle to connect not only with other vehicles, but with infrastructure, pedestrians, and the network itself. However, to assure a seamless operation of systems such as V2X, there is a need for enhanced coordination between automakers, satellite operators, mobile network operators, and regulators.
A gradual convergence between terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks, driven by standardisation bodies such as 3GPP and the efforts of organisations such as ESA and 5G Automotive Association (5GAA), allow for optimisation of networks to adjust to client needs at any given time. The upshot is that more opportunities for integration with Connected Autonomous Vehicles are opened, creating a resilient “network of networks” for high-availability automotive connectivity, supporting CAV, road logistics and better road safety.
“The automotive sector vividly demonstrates that space is not a separate domain – we rely on it every day, often without realising it. Yet far greater potential lies ahead. By fostering deeper convergence between the space and automotive industries, we can unlock powerful opportunities to enhance road safety, reduce congestion, and transform travel experience,” said Antonio Franchi, Head of ESA’s Space for 5G/6G and Sustainable Connectivity programme. “Seamlessly integrating non-terrestrial connectivity into a broader system of systems will help make Europe’s roads safer and strengthen the global competitiveness of its automotive industry.”
“While the technology readiness and sophistication of smart and autonomous vehicles continues to advance rapidly, it is outpacing the development of the infrastructure needed to integrate those modern vehicles into our daily lives,” said Ivalina Petrova, former ESA Telecommunications Engineer and co-author of the white paper. “There is a need of a seamless, high-capacity connectivity solution that can manage escalating vehicle data demands, enable V2X communication with the surrounding environment, and support critical functions such as traffic coordination and road safety.