V2X Technology Complements ADAS by Detecting Hidden Road Hazards: Qualcomm

Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) technology will become an additional layer of safety for future vehicles, working alongside Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) rather than replacing them, according to Qualcomm Technologies.

In an exclusive conversation with Autocar Professional, Hagai Zyss, Vice President of Product Management at Qualcomm Technologies and former CEO of Autotalks, said V2X should be seen as an additional safety layer that works alongside existing technologies such as cameras, radars and sensors, rather than competing with them.

For motorists, this could mean an extra layer of protection beyond what today's cameras, radars and sensors can offer. V2X allows vehicles to exchange information with each other and with road infrastructure, helping warn drivers about hazards such as a vehicle braking suddenly ahead, an ambulance approaching, or a danger hidden behind a large truck or around a blind corner, even before it comes into view.

According to Zyss, while cameras and radars can only detect what they can "see", V2X enables vehicles to communicate directly with each other and share information such as their location, speed, direction and braking status in real time.

"This is not a competition with ADAS. V2X complements ADAS by providing information that cameras and radars alone cannot always detect," he said.

V2X Moves Towards Commercial Scale
Qualcomm said V2X has already moved beyond trials in several global markets. More than one million Toyota vehicles in Japan, around four million Volkswagen Group vehicles in Europe and millions of vehicles in China already use the technology, with several additional vehicle programmes expected to launch globally between 2027 and 2029.

The company believes V2X will increasingly become another important input for vehicle safety systems as automakers continue to expand connected vehicle capabilities.

India Seen as a Strategic Opportunity
Zyss said India's traffic conditions make the country particularly well suited for V2X deployment. Following the government's decision to delicense the 5.9 GHz spectrum for connected vehicle communications, Qualcomm believes the market has taken an important step towards wider adoption.

He added that passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles are expected to lead the initial rollout, with two-wheelers and three-wheelers likely to follow over time.

Collaboration Key to Adoption
While the technology is ready, Qualcomm believes large-scale deployment will require close collaboration between automakers, suppliers and policymakers.

"We call upon all our partners to join forces and introduce this life-saving technology into vehicles. Together, we can make roads significantly safer," Zyss said.

Qualcomm believes V2X will initially help drivers avoid hidden road hazards that conventional sensors cannot detect, while, over time, becoming another key input for future driver assistance and automated driving systems as connected vehicles become more common.