04 August 2023

The Small Cell Forum (SCF) has published research highlighting the key role small cells will play in the future technologies that will take connected cars into the mainstream.

The paper offers a high-level guide to C-V2X (Cellular Vehicle to Everything) technology and the role that small cell technologies can play in its evolution and deployment.

A critical component of C-V2X design is the safety features that can be implemented as part of the system. Much of this will rely on wireless connectivity, and the infrastructure that enables it. For C-V2X to provide the gains in road safety associated with it, wireless coverage needs to be accessible. This means that coverage, capacity, and timely interactions between the C-V2X infrastructure and the users are important to provide a means of implementing the safety, traffic management, and additional features.

Over time, more vehicles and other road users will have C-V2X in their cars and on their devices, encouraging increased use of C-V2X technology. This wider use implies a role for small cells, which could be an ideal way of providing the connectivity vehicle-focused networks require, especially in areas where macro cells can’t be built, are already overloaded, or where coverage is poor.

“Small cells can be deployed unobtrusively, in larger numbers than traditional macro cells. In some cases, roadside units (RSUs) could be combined or merged with mobile network small cells, providing more functionality, reduced deployment costs and increased infrastructure efficiency,” said Lorraine Fearn, SCF Work Item Lead and RAN Architect at Dense Air. “This could be central to enabling the mass introduction of C-V2X into the market in the future. We certainly see a strong role for small cells in this sector, and a role for SCF in supporting the roll out.”