Automotive Radio Frequency System-on-Chip (RF SoC) and Module Research Report, 2025

Automotive RF SoC Research: The Pace of Introducing ""Nerve Endings"" such as UWB, NTN Satellite Communication, NearLink, and WIFI into Intelligent Vehicles Quickens

RF SoC (Radio Frequency System-on-Chip) is an integrated circuit that integrates multiple functional modules such as RF front-end, baseband processing, and memory. It provides a single-chip solution for wireless communication of devices.

In the automotive field, RF SoCs are usually integrated into communication modules or various electronic systems to enhance vehicle intelligence and safety. For example, RF components are used to realize V2V (Vehicle-to-Vehicle), V2P (Vehicle-to-Pedestrian), and V2I (Vehicle-to-Infrastructure) connections, improving traffic safety and efficiency; RF identification technology is used to facilitate keyless entry and vehicle startup, enhancing user experience; RF sensors are used for tire pressure monitoring, in-vehicle life presence detection, and other information detection, enabling real-time monitoring of vehicle status and internal space.

By communication connection form, automotive communication applications are divided into wireless communication and wired communication. Wired communication is mainly used for data transmission between in-vehicle devices, while wireless communication is split into wide-area network (WAN) wireless communication and local area network (LAN) wireless communication according to transmission distance:
LAN wireless communication mainly uses wireless technologies based on unlicensed spectrum, such as V2X direct communication, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, UWB, and NearLink, for connection. It supports communication rates from 1 Mbps to several Gbps, with a network coverage generally ranging from several meters to hundreds of meters.
WAN wireless communication mainly includes cellular communication technologies based on licensed spectrum, as well as satellite communication, GNSS communication, etc.

With the increasing demand for vehicle intelligence and connection, the installation rate of 5G communication further rises. Moreover, multi-dimensional and three-dimensional communications such as in-vehicle communication, cellular communication, and space-ground integrated communication have gradually become rigid demands, and communication domain controllers have become a development trend.
UWB: As Application Scenarios Expand, It Leads Wireless Technologies Such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth in Terms of Development Potential.

In automotive, UWB products can be applied to automotive digital keys, in-vehicle life presence detection, gesture recognition, intrusion alarm, automated parking, positioning for collision avoidance, etc. Compared with wireless technologies such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, UWB has higher temporal resolution and greater anti-multipath capability, enabling centimeter-level positioning and fine motion capture in complex environments. When this technology is integrated with edge AI algorithms, it derives a new capability: on-device spatial intelligence realizing real-time judgment of human presence, behavior, and posture directly on terminal devices without sending data to the cloud or server for processing.

Currently, UWB is mainly applied in digital keys and is accelerating expansion to other fields to improve hardware reusability:
Automotive digital key (keyless entry): Compared with the security defects of traditional Bluetooth and RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technologies in automotive access control systems, UWB with nanosecond-level pulse signals has accurate ranging capability, and can effectively identify the signal delay of relay devices. Combined with dynamic encryption technology, it completely eliminates the possibility of signal replay and relay range extension. Under accurate distance perception, UWB automotive digital keys can realize welcome, wake-up, and unlock functions. Specifically, UWB can realize the welcome function in an area of 10-20 meters.
In-cabin life presence detection and child presence detection (CPD): Relying on its characteristics of strong penetration and insusceptibility to light and occlusion, UWB technology shows unique advantages in the field of in-cabin life presence detection. By monitoring vital sign signals such as breathing and heartbeat, UWB technology can be used for child presence detection, pet stay reminder, and blind passenger assistance, as well as vehicle theft prevention.
Gesture recognition and intrusion alarm: Based on coherent demodulation architecture and ranging algorithms, UWB radar supports non-contact operations, such as waving to control car doors and kicking to open the trunk. UWB radar can also detect slight vibrations caused by window breakage or illegal entry, and reduce the false positive rate by combining with life detection detection.
UWB radar (trunk): UWB is installed inside the vehicle and at the outer side of the trunk. Currently, many solutions require integrating a long capacitive sensor in the trunk, while UWB only needs to deploy one chip node and its antenna is also very small, which can achieve a similar effect.
UWB radar (automated parking and positioning for collision avoidance): UWB radar can detect the distance to surrounding objects to prevent collisions, and it can also assist in overtaking and automated parking. In addition, UWB technology can enable multiple communications and collaborations such as vehicle-to-vehicle, vehicle-to-road, and vehicle-to-cloud to improve the vehicle's perception of the surroundings, thereby enhancing traffic efficiency and safety.

(1) Application of UWB in Digital Key Scenario
According to statistics of ResearchInChina, in 2024, UWB keys for passenger cars in China entered the mass production stage: installed in 1.073 million cars, a year-on-year upsurge of 354.6%; the installation rate was 4.7%, up by 3.6 percentage points compared with the previous year. Based on this calculation, the demand for passenger car UWB chips in China exceeded 5 million pieces in 2024.

(2) Application of UWB in CPD (Child Presence Detection) Scenario
Countries around the world have begun to face CPD (Child Presence Detection) squarely. For example, the European Union has listed CPD technology as one of the standard configurations in ""E-NCAP 2025"", requiring all new vehicles in 2025 to pack CPD technology to obtain the highest safety score. The U.S. Hot Cars Act is also expected to be passed in 2025. In China, CPD was included in the evaluation system for the first time in the 2024 C-NCAP.

In 2021, the China Automotive Technology and Research Center (CATARC) launched the ""C-NCAP Management Regulation"", which includes the second-row child safety protection in the new car rating system for the first time. Since July 1, 2024, the ""C-NCAP Management Regulation"" (2024 Edition) has been officially implemented, further upgrading the child protection content, e.g., including the CPD function into the bonus items (with a maximum of 2 points). It also requires that the CPD system should be integrated into vehicles and cannot be assembled as an aftermarket auto part, which will stimulate the demand for UWB and other sensors.

Starting from 2025, only CPD solutions using direct sensing technology can obtain E-NCAP scores, so the direct identification method is undoubtedly the focus of the future market. Wherein, cameras are not suitable for the latest CPD requirements due to privacy and light occlusion issues. Currently 60GHz radar and UWB are relatively reliable CPD solutions, and the ultrasonic solution is unfit for CPD applications due to low resolution and susceptibility to interference.

Furthermore, since 60GHz has not been fully recognized by the State Radio Regulatory Commission of China as a standard frequency band, there are policy risks. At this stage, many manufacturers mainly promote CPD functions based on UWB solutions.

The UWB CPD solution adopted by Ligong Technology is based on NXP NCJ29D6 single-chip SoC solution. This solution can share a set of hardware with Ligong Technology's UWB digital key AOA anchor solution.

(3) Application of UWB in Parking Assist and AVP (Automated Valet Parking) Scenario, Expected to Replace Ultrasonic Radar or Visual Fusion Parking Solutions
In November 2024, Chengdu KNOWNO Technology Co., Ltd. released the world's first production-ready parking assist solution based on UWB radar. This solution is developed based on an automotive-grade UWB chip of Unisoc UIW7710 and its grouped chip UIW7705. Installation of 4 UWB radar sensors in vehicles can replace ultrasonic radars to enable such functions as UPA and APA, and offers benefits such as accurate height measurement, smaller blind spots, and higher detection success rate at 0-10 km/h.

Wi-Fi 7: Reliable Links, High Network Capacity, and Higher Connection Stability

Wi-Fi 7 can transmit data simultaneously on the 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz frequency bands, thereby achieving faster Wi-Fi speed, lower latency, and higher connection stability. If the device supports the highest specifications, Wi-Fi 7 can provide a peak speed of more than 40 Gbps, 4 times faster than Wi-Fi 6E. In terms of automotive applications, Wi-Fi 7 supports real-time update on HD maps, uninterrupted connection when encountering interference, smooth operation of in-vehicle infotainment system, and efficient data transmission with surrounding buildings.

The next-generation Wi-Fi 8 is also being developed. Its design goal is to provide a stable, low-latency, and nearly lossless connection experience even in highly congested, interference-prone, and highly mobile environments. According to Qualcomm, based on the IEEE 802.11bn standard being developed, Wi-Fi 8 takes ""Ultra-High Reliability (UHR)"" as the framework and has been optimized in terms of throughput, delay distribution, and packet loss in complex signal environments.

In 2024, Qualcomm announced Qualcomm QCA6797AQ the industry’s first Automotive Grade Wi-Fi 7 Access Point. Based on Wi-Fi 7, Qualcomm QCA6797AQ is designed for in-vehicle experiences and applications, enabling enables improved link-reliability, lower latency, greater network capacity, and faster connectivity.
With support for High Band Simultaneous (HBS) and Multi-link Multi-Radio (MLMR), Wi-Fi 7 significantly improves connection reliability, virtually eliminating any dropped connections due to external interference. 
Movie streaming, gaming and other latency-sensitive applications run smoother and with less lag or dropped connections in the face of interference from toll booths, congested intersections and fixed wireless links.
Wi-Fi 7 offers significantly increased capacity enabled through 6GHz spectrum, which allows for 320 MHz channels. Coupled with 4K QAM, Wi-Fi 7 can achieve peak throughputs of up to 5.8 Gbps, allowing vehicles to download High-Definition Maps even faster.

Qualcomm also simultaneously launched a technical combination of automotive-grade Bluetooth 5.4 and Wi-Fi 7, further expanding application scenarios:
The sensing distance of mobile phone keys is extended to 50 meters;
The audio transmission bandwidth is doubled, supporting 192kHz/24bit lossless music play;
Realizes wireless connection of all vehicle sensors (radar, in-cabin cameras, etc.).

In addition, OEMs have also begun to make layouts. Xiaomi YU7 is the first car to support introduction of Wi-Fi 7, and also supports the industry-leading dual 5G parallel capability, providing a smoother and more stable experience in both in-vehicle entertainment and remote vehicle control. With a theoretical peak rate of up to 46Gbps, Wi-Fi 7 can realize:
Allows multiple people in the vehicle to watch 4K videos, play online games, and hold video conferences at the same time;
Multi-link operation technology greatly reduces latency, making IVI screen mirroring and cloud game control responsive, and eliminating stutters and trailing smears;
Supports simultaneous high-speed access of more devices, such as mobile phone, tablet PC, laptop, and game console.

5G NTN: Expand the Coverage and Reliability of In-Vehicle Communication

In-vehicle satellite communication is similar to mobile phone satellite communication, that is, satellites are used as communication base stations to enable intelligent connected vehicles to establish direct communication network connections with satellites, without the need for forwarding via ground base stations and satellite earth stations. In the automotive field, in-vehicle satellite communication can enable functions such as location monitoring, vehicle alarm, emergency rescue call, and social contact and entertainment.

In-vehicle satellite communication has also been officially integrated into the 5G ecosystem. 5G NTN (Non-Terrestrial Network) is a globally covered communication system formed by integrating non-terrestrial devices such as satellite constellations covering Low Earth Orbit (LEO), Medium Earth Orbit (MEO), and Geostationary Orbit (GEO), and High Altitude Platform Stations (HAPS), and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) with terrestrial 5G networks. It solves the connection problem in areas (e.g., oceans, deserts, and remote mountainous areas) that cannot be covered by traditional ground base stations, with the goal of increasing the global network coverage from less than 40% on land to all areas.

Currently, 5G NTN includes two technical routes: NR-NTN (New Radio-Non-Terrestrial Network, 5G smart terminal access for non-terrestrial networks) and IoT-NTN (Internet of Things-Non-Terrestrial Network, IoT terminal access for non-terrestrial networks). The IoT technology of 5G NTN is to a certain extent based on Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) technology, and is optimized for the characteristics of satellite communication such as long distance, high latency, and high path loss. NR can provide high-speed data transmission services, supporting users to enjoy high-traffic and high-bandwidth applications such as high-definition video streaming, Virtual Reality (VR), and Augmented Reality (AR) on mobile devices.

MediaTek's latest automotive-grade chip MT2739 supports both NB-NTN and NR-NTN satellite communication standards. This means that even when a vehicle travels in remote areas that are difficult to reach by terrestrial networks, it can still maintain communication connection through satellites, greatly expanding the coverage and reliability of in-vehicle communication.

Based on the 3GPP NTN R17 standard, Unisoc's first satellite communication SoC V8821 uses IoT NTN as infrastructure, and is easy to integrate with the terrestrial core network. Through L-band maritime satellites and S-band Tiantong satellites, V8821 provides functions such as data transmission, text messaging, calls, and location sharing. It can also be extended to support access to other high-orbit satellite systems. It is widely applicable to communication needs in areas where cellular networks are difficult to cover, such as oceans, urban edges, and remote mountainous areas.

The foundation for realizing in-vehicle satellite communication lies in the vehicle direct satellite connection technology. Through the Tiantong satellite network, this technology enables vehicles to directly send and receive voice calls and text messages without the need for mobile phone signal towers. At present, several OEMs have implemented this technology, including Seres (AITO Series, with in-depth integration of satellite modules with HarmonyOS), BYD, Geely, etc.

5.5G: Low-Latency, High-Speed, and Reliable Data Transmission

In the first half of 2024, the 3GPP R18 (The 3rd Generation Partnership Project Release 18) was frozen, marking that the evolution of 5G technology enters the second round of innovation, namely 5G-Advanced, which is now known as 5.5G in the industry.

The application of 5.5G Internet of Vehicles technology will accelerate the upgrading of autonomous driving technology. Its low latency, high speed, and reliable data transmission provide greater perception and decision capabilities for autonomous driving systems, helping to realize higher-level autonomous driving functions.

Sanechips is deploying a S2V chip for 5.5G NR + V2X, which will have a peak rate of 7Gbps and support multiple cards and multiple channels, and also NTN broadband satellite communication capabilities. This chip is expected to be mass-produced in 2026.
Large bandwidth: 3GPP Release 18, Sub6G 6CC 400MHz, LTE Cat20;
Higher spectrum efficiency: 1024QAM, 8Rx MIMO, UL enhancement;
More advanced process: upgraded process, improved performance, reduced power consumption;
Enhanced network reliability: NTN space-air-ground integration, DSDA (Dual SIM Dual Active), uRLLC (ultra-reliable low-latency communication).

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