LG Electronics said it demonstrated a satellite-based next-generation voice communication solution that will revolutionize driver safety at the 34th summit of the 5G Automotive Association (5GAA) held in Paris, France, on the 15th.
This is a next-generation solution that implements conversation-level voice communication inside vehicles using a non-terrestrial network (NTN) operated outside the atmosphere, such as satellites. LG Electronics is the first to showcase voice communication that enables interactive communication beyond simple voice transmission.
NTN-based communication is considered one of the key technologies for driver safety, as it enables connectivity through a non-terrestrial network in areas where network connections are not smooth, such as deserts and mountainous regions, or in situations where infrastructure is paralyzed due to disasters or natural calamities.
LG Electronics has introduced a next-generation solution that combines artificial intelligence (AI) voice processing technology with existing NTN-based communication technology to significantly reduce the size of voice messages, allowing the extension of satellite communication services, which are currently limited to emergency text messages due to data capacity issues, to voice.
With this, the speed of voice message transmission increases by more than ten times. It is possible to go beyond simply sending and receiving voice messages to having conversations. Passengers in distress can send messages to rescue centers equipped with devices capable of satellite communication by simply pressing the emergency call button on the vehicle's interior screen, without additional operations such as text input.
LG Electronics has also established a software platform that tracks the vehicle's location and information in real time to connect to appropriate communication networks even with changing network environments. When entering an area without a terrestrial network, it automatically connects to a non-terrestrial network.
At the 5GAA summit, LG Electronics was the first to demonstrate uninterrupted voice communication services while driving a vehicle equipped with next-generation voice communication technology through the streets of Paris, even as network environments switched. Spectators experienced the connected mobility that LG Electronics' innovative technology has implemented by checking voice messages sent through the non-terrestrial network in areas where terrestrial networks were connected.
LG Electronics is demonstrating competitiveness in the field of connected technologies, which are core to the transition to smart-device vehicles (SDV), including telematics, vehicle-to-everything (V2X), and in-vehicle (IV) system connectivity. Since officially entering the telematics market in 2003, it has established itself as a global partner for automotive manufacturers, being the first in the world to receive international common evaluation criterion (CC) certification for security stability with V2X. According to its own estimates based on data released by the market research firm Strategy Analytics, LG Electronics holds the number one position in the telematics market globally.
To research and commercialize future vehicles such as autonomous cars and connected cars based on 5G technology, LG Electronics has been a member of the global automotive communication alliance 5GAA since its establishment in 2016, showcasing key technologies for future mobility. The 5GAA is composed of over 110 corporations, including major automotive manufacturers, automotive component suppliers, telecommunications providers, and chipset and communication equipment manufacturers.
Lee Sang-yong, head of the VS Division at LG Electronics, said, "We will accelerate innovation in connected mobility through next-generation voice communication technology that allows for vehicle connectivity without the constraints of situation and location."