Next-Generation Automotive Wireless Communication Technologies (6G/5G-A, NearLink, Satellite Communication, UWB, etc.) and Automotive Communication Module Industry Report, 2026
Research on Next-Generation Communication and Modules: Accelerated Deployment of 5G-A, Satellite Communication, NearLink, UWB and Other Technologies in Automobiles
Automotive wireless communication technology is undergoing a profound transformation from basic connectivity to supporting high-level intelligent driving:
To meet new demands such as autonomous driving training data upload (balanced uplink and downlink), cloud gaming, and AI multi-modal interaction, 5G-Advanced (5G-A) technology has taken the lead in commercial deployment. As of November 2025, over 300 cities in China have achieved 5G-A coverage, and the research and formulation of 6G technical standards are being accelerated, with the technical research phase expected to be completed in 2027 to provide greater bandwidth, lower latency and more reliable connectivity.
Satellite communication technology has been successively integrated into automobiles and will be integrated with terrestrial networks in the future, solving the networking problems in areas not covered by traditional ground base stations (such as oceans, deserts and remote mountainous areas) and providing vehicles with full-domain coverage capabilities.
As the core technical route for vehicle-to-everything (V2X) direct communication based on cellular networks, C-V2X has become a global mainstream trend by virtue of its superior performance and natural synergy with 5G evolution. Its industrial ecosystem will develop from the "integration of vehicles, roads and clouds" to a broader integration of "vehicles, energy, roads and clouds", promoting the in-depth integration of new energy vehicles with energy, transportation and communication industries.
Technologies such as WiFi, Bluetooth, NearLink and UWB are also constantly updated and iterated. With the large-scale mass production of communication modules and the continuous expansion of in-vehicle scenarios, automobiles are evolving from a means of transportation to a "third living space".
Satellite Communication Modules: Integration of Satellite Communication Links and In-Vehicle eCall Systems Becoming a New Competitive Focus for OEMs
In the field of satellite communications, automakers such as Geely, BYD, Chery, Huawei, and Xiaomi have all entered the market.
Chery's newly launched Jetour Zongheng G700, a hardcore off-road model, is standard equipped with the self-developed "Zongheng Cangqiong Interconnection" satellite communication system, supporting two-way voice and emergency rescue services to ensure unimpeded communication in wild environments without ground network coverage. The system integrates satellite communication links with in-vehicle eCall system, supporting both active and manual eCall modes and providing 24-hour life protection.
Huawei launched the self-developed Xinghe Communication Technology with space-ground interconnection capabilities, realizing the in-depth integration of satellite and terrestrial communication. It ensures stable communication connectivity for vehicles in various complex environments through technologies such as intelligent network selection, dual-network standby and weak network acceleration.
Supports ultra-wide-angle satellite communication with a beam width of 160°, a 50% increase in satellite acquisition speed and a 20% reduction in call setup time; terrestrial communication supports active intelligent network selection and dual-network standby, enabling triple-network connection (China Mobile, China Unicom, China Telecom) and weak network acceleration.
Features active and intelligent network selection capability, automatically selecting the optimal network for connection based on current network conditions, with a network handover latency of less than 1.2 seconds and a signal coverage area increased by more than 14% compared with traditional methods.
Satellite communication capabilities can be shared to mobile phones, tablets and other devices; users can still make calls through in-vehicle satellite within 30 meters of the vehicle.
In emergency situations, the vehicle can automatically dial a satellite phone to initiate rescue, providing protection for users' travel safety.
In weak network environments such as tunnels and basements, Xinghe Communication can preload maps in advance to ensure uninterrupted navigation signals.
The satellite communication functions of Geely models such as Zeekr 001, Zeekr 007, Lynk & Co 900 and Galaxy Starshine 8 are supported by Geespace, a technological innovation enterprise under Geely Holding Group.
The satellite communication function on Zeekr 007 supports users to send satellite messages to mobile phone numbers directly through the IVI, and the received short messages will carry location information.
The Lynk & Co 900 2.0T Exploration Edition supports the integrated space-ground satellite communication, which can directly connect to the Tiantong satellite with one click, featuring 24-hour blind spot-free protection, autonomous satellite rescue initiation in emergencies, 5~10m positioning accuracy, 360° all-round safety support and full coverage in China.
In 2025, Geely completed the networking of the first phase of 64 low-orbit satellites, becoming the world's first OEM with large-scale application capabilities of satellite constellations. This layout has equipped Geely Auto with real-time communication capabilities covering more than 90% of the global area, providing satellite IoT communication services for its models. At the same time, Geely Auto's satellite communication technology has reached the international leading level: in tunnels where satellite signals cannot be received and lock loss scenarios, the positioning error is less than 1‰ through the integration of inertial navigation technology, which is better than the industry standard of 2‰; in typical autonomous driving routes, the positioning accuracy is better than 10 cm (CEP95), higher than the industry standard of 20 cm (CEP95).
5G-A Modules: 6G Pre-research Launched, 5.5G (5G-A) as an Important Link to 6G with Deployment in Automobiles Underway
Against the backdrop of accelerated global digital transformation, the communication technology system is undergoing an iterative upgrade from 5G to 5.5G (5G-Advanced) and 6G. Compared with the existing 5G technology, 5.5G has achieved an exponential improvement in performance, namely ultra-large uplink rate, real-time massive communication and integrated communication and sensing.
China is accelerating the R&D and formulation of 6G technical standards, with the technical research phase expected to be completed in 2027. During this transition period, 5G-A technology has taken the lead in commercial deployment. As of November 2025, over 300 cities in China have achieved 5G-A coverage, more than 30 provinces have launched 5G-A main packages, the number of 5G-A users has exceeded 10 million, and 5G-A has rapidly shifted from technical standards to commercial implementation.
In January 2026, Quectel Wireless Solutions announced the launch of the automotive-grade 5G-A module AR588MA compliant with the 3GPP R18 standard.
The module is built based on MediaTek's world's first 5G-A platform MT2739, achieving four core breakthroughs: full-domain signal coverage, high-speed connection transmission, AI intelligent network adaptation and automotive-grade security assurance. Modem performance of AR588MA series modules reaches industry-leading level, with a built-in quad-core Cortex-A55 CPU with a main frequency of up to 2.3GHz, featuring enhanced uplink transmission capability and ultra-low latency, supporting 400MHz bandwidth and NR 5CC, with a downlink rate of up to 9.0Gbps, an uplink rate of over 2.5Gbps and DSDA function. AR588MA has made a major breakthrough in full-domain communication capability, supporting not only 5G-A technology but also integrating satellite communication functions, and enhancing low-frequency receiving performance and adaptive network signal compensation algorithm.
At present, engineering samples of the module are available, and a number of leading automakers have launched the solution import work of the AR588MA series. In addition, Vanchip provides a full set of AEC-Q100 Grade2 automotive-grade RF front-end chip solutions for the AR588MA module, covering core devices in the full frequency band from Sub-3G to Sub-6G, which has undergone rigorous tests in a wide temperature range of -40℃~105℃ and fully meets the IATF16949 certification and the automotive-grade life cycle requirement of more than 12 years.
In terms of functions, AR588MA fully supports the eCall/NG-eCall emergency call system. When the vehicle is in an emergency such as a collision, it can automatically trigger a call and transmit key data such as vehicle location and accident type to the emergency center; at the same time, the module integrates GNSS positioning function, supporting L1+L5 dual-band positioning with an output frequency of up to 30Hz, providing accurate position support for path planning and lane-level navigation of assisted driving.
Integrated 5G Intelligent Modules for Next-Generation AI Cockpits: Featuring Cost Advantages and High Integration, Integrating AI, Cockpit, WiFi/BT, GNSS, C-V2X and Other Modules
Integrated 5G intelligent modules have the advantages of high integration and low cost, and can replace the original AP + Modem solution. Traditional communication modules are arranged in the T-Box, mainly performing wireless communication functions, with integrated chips including baseband chips, memory chips and RF chips. 5G intelligent modules integrate SoC and baseband chips, with their own operating systems and computing power, and have multiple functions such as entertainment and navigation in the intelligent cockpit. The modular products feature high integration, shorten the development cycle of downstream automakers, are expected to become core products of the intelligent cockpit and drive the value increase module products.
At present, wireless communication module manufacturers such as Favalon, MeiG Smart, Quectel Wireless Solutions and Sunsea AIoT have all launched integrated intelligent modules.
Short-Range Wireless Communication Modules: Increasingly Rich Functional Configuration, with Accelerated Integration of UWB, NearLink and Other Technologies in Automobiles
In 2025, new domestic vehicle models have been successively equipped with modules such as 5G communication, UWB digital keys and the new generation of WiFi & Bluetooth, and some models have been integrated with satellite communication technology and NearLink digital key solutions.
On the one hand, UWB (Ultra-Wideband) has been listed as the core technology of the third-generation digital key by the Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC) by virtue of its high-precision positioning (centimeter-level) and strong anti-interference ability. The Passive Entry and Passive Start (PEPS) system is the first application of UWB in the automotive field, and the technology is currently expanding to on-board applications such as automatic parking and child seat/airbag control.
On the other hand, NearLink technology combines the technical advantages of Bluetooth and UWB, and is perfectly suitable for Automotive digital key applications with its advantages of high positioning accuracy, strong anti-interference ability, high security and long connection distance. The NearLink digital key in China's passenger car market is led by Huawei. In March 2025, the first batch of NearLink digital keys were mass-produced and launched on the 2025 AITO M9, followed by a large number of new models such as the new AITO M8, Stelato S9 extended-range version, Luxeed R7, SAIC Shangjie H5, Dongfeng M-Hero M817 and Avatr 007 which were successively launched and equipped with the NearLink digital key solution.
At present, the research and development of NearLink communication modules in China's automotive market is mainly based on Huawei HiSilicon's chip solutions, and several chip companies have also successively launched consumer-grade and automotive-grade NearLink chips.
The digital key solution of SAIC Shangjie H5, the first model of Huawei's cooperation with SAIC Motor, adopts the "Bluetooth + NearLink single-chip integrated architecture", which reduces the cost by more than 50% compared with the traditional UWB solution and promotes the penetration of NearLink technology into the mid-range market.
Models such as AITO M8, AITO M9 and Dongfeng M-Hero M817 are equipped with Yuanfeng Technology's digital key solution, which combines HiSilicon's NearLink technology, namely the SparkLink Low Energy (SLE) based on HiSilicon Hi2821E. The digital car key solution flexibly combines the high-precision ranging and positioning capabilities of UWB, Bluetooth CS and NearLink SLE, achieving decimeter-level high-precision positioning and ranging, and bringing users an extremely smooth vehicle access experience of car finding within 30 meters, welcome within 8 meters and automatic unlocking within 2 meters.
In addition, some joint venture brands have carried out localized cooperation. For example, InGeek's NearLink digital key solution is about to be mass-produced on GAC Toyota bZ 7 models. Based on NearLink SLE technology, the solution has made the NearLink digital key enter the usable stage through full-link technological reconstruction:
Precise positioning: Multi-anchor collaborative positioning technology eliminates the "standing penalty" and "ping-pong" effects, with an unlocking distance accuracy of ±0.6 meters.
Ultra-fast response: End-to-end unlocking delay ≤200ms, meeting seamless experience with better anti-interference and anti-multipath capabilities.
Super stability: The connection success rate reaches 99.8% in extreme environments, ensuring uninterrupted service.
Connection security: The underlying physical layer security mechanism effectively resists relay attacks and makes ecological connections credible and reliable.
Next-Generation Automotive Wireless Communication Technologies (6G/5G-A, NearLink, Satellite Communication, UWB, etc.) and Automotive Communication Module Industry Report, 2026
Research on Next-Generation Communication and Modules: Accelerated Deployment of 5G-A, Satellite Communication, NearLink, UWB and Other Technologies in Automobiles
Automotive wireless communication t...
Research on Zonal Architecture: Smart Actuators (Micro-motors) and Application Trends in Sub-scenarios, 2026
Smart Actuator and Micro-motor Research: Under Zonal Architecture, Actuators Are Developing towards Edge Computing, 48V, and Brushless Motors.
The core components of automotive zonal architecture mai...
China Passenger Car Navigate on Autopilot (NOA) Industry Report, 2025
In 2025, NOA standardization was popularized, refined and deepened in parallel. In 2026, core variables will be added to the competitive landscape.
The evolution of autonomous driving follows a clear...
Smart Car OTA Industry Report, 2025-2026
Automotive OTA Research: In the Era of Mandatory Standards, OTA Transforms from a "Function Channel" to a New Stage of "Full Lifecycle Management"
Driven by the development and promotion of AI and so...
Automotive AI Box Research Report, 2026
Automotive AI Box Research: A new path of edge AI accelerates
This report studies the current application status of automotive AI Box from the aspects of scenario demand, product configuration, and i...
Automotive Fragrance and Air Conditioning System Research Report, 2025
Automotive Fragrance and Air Purification Research: Intelligent Fragrance Equipment to Exceed 4 Million Units by 2030, "All-in-One" Integrated Purification Becomes Mainstream
The "Automotive Fragranc...
Intelligent Vehicle Cockpit-driving Integration (Cockpit-driving-parking) Industry Report, 2025
Cockpit-Driving Integration Research: 36% CAGR by 2030, Single-Chip Cockpit-driving integration Solutions Enter Mass Production
ResearchInChina releases the "Intelligent Vehicle Cockpit-driving Integ...
Research Report on Overseas Layout of Chinese Passenger Car OEMs and Supply Chain Companies, 2025
Automotive Overseas Expansion Research: Accelerated Release of OEM Overseas Production Capacity, Chinese Intelligent Supply Chain Goes Global
This report conducts an in-depth analysis of the current ...
Passenger Car Intelligent Steering Industry Research Report, 2025-2026
Intelligent steering research: Rear-wheel steering prices drop to RMB200,000-250,000
1. Rear-wheel steering installations increased by 36.5% year-on-year.
From January to October 2025, the number of...
Global Autonomous Driving Policies & Regulations and Automotive Market Access Research Report, 2025-2026
Research on Intelligent Driving Regulations and Market Access: New Energy Vehicle Exports Double, and "Region-Specific Policies" Adapt to Regulatory Requirements of Various Countries in A Refined Mann...
Two-wheeler Intelligence and Industry Chain Research Report, 2025-2026
Two-Wheeler Electric Vehicle Research: New National Standard Drives Intelligent Popularization, AI Agent Makes Its Way onto Vehicles
ResearchInChina releases the "Two-wheeler Intelligence and Industr...
China Smart Door and Electric Tailgate Market Research Report, 2025
Smart Door Research: Driven by Automatic Doors, Knock-Knock Door Opening, etc., the Market Will Be Worth Over RMB100 Billion in 2030.
This report analyzes and researches the installation, market size...
New Energy Vehicle Thermal Management System Industry Research Report, 2025-2026
Policy and Regulation Drive: Promoting the Development of Electric Vehicle Thermal Management Systems towards Environmental Compliance, Active Safety Protection, and Thermal Runaway Management
Accord...
Intelligent Vehicle Redundant Architecture Design and ADAS Redundancy Strategy Research Report, 2025-2026
Research on Redundant Systems: Septuple Redundancy Architecture Empowers High-Level Intelligent Driving, and New Products Such as Corner Modules and Collision Unlock Modules Will Be Equipped on Vehicl...
Passenger Car Mobile Phone Wireless Charging Research Report, 2025
Automotive Wireless Charging Research: Domestic Installation Rate Will Exceed 50%, and Overseas Demand Emerges as Second Growth Driver.
The Passenger Car Mobile Phone Wireless Charging Research Repor...
Automotive 4D Radar Industry Research Report 2025
4D radar research: From "optional" to "essential," 4D radar's share will exceed 50% by 2030.
1. 4D imaging radar has transformed from an "optional" to a "must-have" sensor.
4D radar adds the detecti...
China Automotive Multimodal Interaction Development Research Report, 2025
Research on Automotive Multimodal Interaction: The Interaction Evolution of L1~L4 Cockpits
ResearchInChina has released the "China Automotive Multimodal Interaction Development Research Report, 2025"...
Automotive Vision Industry Report, 2025
Automotive Vision Research: Average Camera Installation per Vehicle Reaches 5.2 Units, and Front-View Tricam Installation Exceeds 1.2 Million Sets.
From January to September 2025, the total installa...