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It is expected that 70% of the Wi-Fi chipsets shipped into automotive  applications will be of Wi-Fi 6 by 2024.- Analysts ABI Research 

Today, our vehicles are more than just a means of transportation—they’re a  way to experience, share, and explore the world around us. They are no  more our cocoons, insulating us from the outside world, but rather hosting  new connectivity experiences, where we are not just passengers but  explorers, creators, and innovators. 

“From hands-free calling to in-vehicle Wi-Fi to navigation  

systems helping us find a parking spot without using our  

phones, cars are becoming an increasingly safe, comfortable,  and convenient way to get around.” 

The modern automobile is nothing short of a marvel. Thanks to technological  advancements, we now have cars that can drive themselves and  communicate with other cars on the road. This has allowed us to be much  safer on the roads and improve our commutes. But the future is even brighter  than that. 

Connected Vehicle- A Futuristic Experience 

A connected vehicle can communicate, share the internet, or share data  with any car’s internal or external device or service. It fosters a new breed of  in-car experiences that go far beyond the current state-of-the-art in  navigation, entertainment, and safety.  

Wi-Fi 6- Redefining Automotive Connectivity Curve 

The automotive industry is changing faster than ever, with cars becoming  increasingly connected and automated and new technologies like Wi-Fi 6  powering these changes.  

-Wi-Fi 6 has enabled new automotive experiences like in-car internet access,  connected car systems, and advanced driver assistance systems. It can  deliver peak speeds of up to 10 gigabits per second and supports various  advanced security capabilities such as end-to-end encryption, device  authentication, and secure data transfers. 

These capabilities empower the automotive industry to meet the increasing  demand for vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-everything (V2X)  communications and make in-vehicle technology safer and more intuitive for  consumers.  

-Wi-Fi 6’s technical specifications are engineered explicitly for the unique  requirements of the automotive environment. They enable higher-bandwidth,  longer-range, and more-secure network deployments, such as heavy vehicle  traffic, extreme weather, and a lack of clear lines of sight. 

-In addition, Wi-Fi 6 is designed to support data-intensive applications such as  video streaming and telematics, to meet the needs of evolving connected  vehicle systems. 

– With increased spectral efficiency and a fourfold increase in channel  capacity, Wi-Fi 6 is expected to become the de facto wireless interface for  fully connected cars. 

-The automotive sector is poised to take many advantages of Wi-Fi 6,  focussing on the quality of experience of multiple clients in more crowded  environments, bringing more extended range and better coverage outdoors.  

-Wi-Fi 6’s ability to efficiently support low-bandwidth traffic makes it well suited for low-complexity, low-power IoT solutions designed and deployed for  the automotive sector. Also, it will improve safety by enabling remote vehicle  diagnostics and services, such as parking assistance, without the needing a  driver to be present. 

5G & Wi-Fi 6- Streamlining Automotive Connectivity 

With the advent of 5G, Wi-Fi 6 is poised to become an even more critical  enabler of reliable connectivity for various use cases within, beyond, and  among vehicles.  

5G is the next evolution in mobile cellular networks, promising to deliver  significantly faster data speeds, lower latency, and higher capacity than  previous generations of cellular service. It promises to usher in the next era of  automobile connectivity, enabling the Internet of Things (IoT) and a host of  new use cases, ranging from predictive maintenance to fully upgradeable  software-defined vehicles. And this is where Wi-Fi 6 will play a pivotal role in the future of automotive technology, with seamless connectivity transforming  the driving experience.

Final Thoughts 

This new era of automotive connectivity is no longer an afterthought— it is a  powerful opportunity. Ultimately, Wi-Fi 6 will offer an antidote to the increased  crowding resulting from the widespread use of 5G.  

It will also enable new high-band use cases, such as Massive MIMO and  beamforming while expanding coverage outdoors without requiring  additional spectrum.  

The connected car is moving from a convenience to an experience. And  with Wi-Fi 6, the future is going to be different. IO is excited to be a part of this next big leap for the connected car, bringing faster and more reliable  connectivity, more capacity, and more features with its range of access  solutions. 

We are excited about what’s next in the connectivity space. Stay tuned for  more information.