Quectel announces new C-V2X Module to support Autonomous Driving

Quectel Wireless Solutions, a global supplier of IoT modules announced the launch of the automotive grade C-V2X module AG15, which features the Qualcomm 9150 C-V2X chipset solution from Qualcomm Technologies, a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated.

The module samples are being sent to the automotive industry for the development of commercial C-V2X products. The AG15 C-V2X module is manufactured in accordance to IATF 16949:2016 quality management system standard for the automotive sector, and it fully complies with the automotive product quality processes, including APQP and PPAP. Pairing with the Quectel automotive grade LTE module AG35, Quectel's AG15 is designed to meet the telematics and Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) connectivity requirements of the next-generation automotive applications, such as autonomous driving and road safety.

Also known as LTE-V2X, C-V2X is the V2X communication technology based on the globally recognised 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Release 14 Specifications. The PC5-based direct communication mode of C-V2X supports Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V), Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) and Vehicle-to-Pedestrian (V2P) communications on the 5.9 GHz Intelligent Transport System (ITS) spectrum. In addition, C-V2X paves a strong evolution path toward 5G New Radio (5G NR) and plays an essential part of the future of safe autonomous driving with its capabilities including Non-line of Sight (NLOS) sensing to support high-speed mobility and high vehicular density deployments.

Based on C-V2X technology, the Quectel AG15 module adopts the 3GPP Release 14 C-V2X PC5 protocol. It is designed to allow low-latency, highly reliable and highly dense data exchange between vehicles and their surroundings, enabling effective information sharing among road users in avoidance of collisions, thus improving automotive safety, automated driving and traffic efficiency.

Without the need for a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM), cellular subscription or network assistance, the C-V2X direct communication mode helps reduce complexity and cost for customers. For positioning function, the AG15 features a built-in multi-constellation high-precision GNSS (GPS/GLONASS/BeiDou/Galileo/QZSS) receiver, with additional support from Satellite Based Augmentation Systems (SBAS) and Qualcomm 3D dead reckoning technology, which greatly improves the positioning accuracy and speed while simplifying customer designs. Additionally, the Qualcomm 9150 C-V2X chipset solution has a built in A7 application processor (1.5GHz) which could be potentially utilized to run ITS stack and associated C-V2X applications.

"We are very pleased to introduce our first batch of automotive grade C-V2X modules based on the Qualcomm 9150 chipset solution. Automated driving has unique requirements for V2X connectivity, such as lower latency, higher reliability and wider bandwidth, all of which could be addressed by C-V2X technology," said Patrick Qian, CEO of Quectel. "Built upon Quectel's expertise in connected vehicles and Qualcomm Technologies' high-performance C-V2X chipset solution, the AG15 module is expected to help automakers and Tier 1 suppliers to effectively accelerate their efforts towards automated driving."

"Quectel is a global leader in cellular modules with rich experience in commercial automotive products," said Nakul Duggal, Vice President of product management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. "We are pleased to work closely with Quectel again to support its modules with our 9150 C-V2X chipset solution to help create safer and more efficient V2X solutions and to help empower road safety and autonomous driving. We look forward to working with Quectel in delivering the solutions required to address the needs of the next generation automobiles."