智能手機(jī)不再是移動(dòng)通信服務(wù)業(yè)者唯一能撈錢的平臺(tái)，現(xiàn)在他們的搖錢樹又多了一棵──汽車。有不少移動(dòng)通信服務(wù)業(yè)者都將汽車視為下一個(gè)具備龐大成長(zhǎng)潛力的商機(jī)，汽車業(yè)者同樣也看好新的收入來(lái)源，并開(kāi)始炒作“有四個(gè)輪子的智能手機(jī)”議題。 手機(jī)芯片業(yè)者高通(Qualcomm)是唯一針對(duì)汽車市場(chǎng)推出 LTE 芯片組的半導(dǎo)體業(yè)者，該公司推出了號(hào)稱業(yè)界首款商業(yè)化車用 20納米 LTE 芯片，命名為 Gobi 9x30 ；根據(jù)高通表示，該系列芯片支持 LTE FDD/ TDD Advanced Category 6，載波聚合(Carrier Aggregation)最高達(dá)40MHz，下行速率最高達(dá)300Mbps。 在西班牙巴塞羅那舉行的2014年度全球移動(dòng)通信大會(huì)(MWC)上，通用汽車(GM)宣布將在旗下車款廣泛布署 4G LTE 服務(wù)；該公司將把 4G LTE 架構(gòu)直接整合在車用電子系統(tǒng)，包含一支外部天線，以最大化覆蓋范圍與連結(jié)性。 針對(duì)北美市場(chǎng)，GM選擇了AT&T作為移動(dòng)通信服務(wù)業(yè)伙伴，兩家公司計(jì)劃自2014年起，在美國(guó)與加拿大市場(chǎng)透過(guò)無(wú)線方式提供更強(qiáng)調(diào)安全性、具診斷功能的車用資通訊娛樂(lè)服務(wù)到GM旗下大多數(shù)車款，包括Chevrolet、Buick、GMC與Cadillac等品牌。GM強(qiáng)調(diào)，該公司的車款將直接內(nèi) 建4G LTE調(diào)制解調(diào)器模塊，車主不需要擁有智能手機(jī)才能享受連網(wǎng)服務(wù)。 GM預(yù)期，車輛內(nèi)建的LTE調(diào)制解調(diào)器能為該公司車用資通訊娛樂(lè)服務(wù) OnStar 提供快速、可靠的聯(lián)機(jī)，此外也能讓車內(nèi)各種裝置快速鏈接至各種數(shù)據(jù)、資通訊娛樂(lè)應(yīng)用程序。

GM將在旗下車款直接內(nèi)建4G LTE通訊模塊
fLtesmc

這些日子以來(lái)，汽車業(yè)者看到連網(wǎng)技術(shù)已經(jīng)遠(yuǎn)超出過(guò)去的車用信息娛樂(lè)領(lǐng)域應(yīng)用；車內(nèi)LTE通訊模塊的新興應(yīng)用，包括車輛與外部環(huán)境與其他車輛的互動(dòng)，藉以提升駕駛?cè)伺c乘客的安全性、效率以及便利性。4G LTE對(duì)于未來(lái)的車輛對(duì)車輛(V2V)、車輛對(duì)基礎(chǔ)建設(shè)(V2I)通訊，儼然是不可或缺；GM表示，相關(guān)服務(wù)包括透過(guò)云端信息傳輸?shù)膶?shí)時(shí)路況、導(dǎo)航路線更新等。 根據(jù)市場(chǎng)研究機(jī)構(gòu)IHS的觀察，目前嵌入式調(diào)制解調(diào)器市場(chǎng)主要仍采用2.5G通訊技術(shù)，因?yàn)榇蠖鄶?shù)車載資通訊娛樂(lè)系統(tǒng) (telematics)所支持的服務(wù)都是較低數(shù)據(jù)傳輸速率；不過(guò)該機(jī)構(gòu)分析師Egil Juliussen表示，目前車用資通訊娛樂(lè)產(chǎn)業(yè)大多數(shù)都跳過(guò)3G，由2.5G直接升級(jí)到LTE。 Juliussen指出，汽車廠商都在看LTE技術(shù)，因?yàn)樗麄円氖蔷呶磥?lái)潛力(future proof)的車用連網(wǎng)方案，其考慮點(diǎn)不一定在帶寬。高通積極推出20納米LTE-Advanced芯片，也同樣是基于這種對(duì)未來(lái)潛力的考慮。 “隨著電信營(yíng)運(yùn)商陸續(xù)布建下一代LTE-Advanced網(wǎng)絡(luò)，汽車業(yè)者也開(kāi)始計(jì)劃針對(duì)車用平臺(tái)進(jìn)行升級(jí)并采用該新一代技術(shù)?！币晃桓咄òl(fā)言人接受 EETimes美國(guó)版編輯訪問(wèn)時(shí)表示，藉由Gobi 9x30車用LTE-Advanced芯片的推出：“我們的一階(Tier-1)汽車零組件供貨商以及車廠客戶，現(xiàn)在可以提供層級(jí)式的車用連網(wǎng)主機(jī)解決方案?！? 本文授權(quán)編譯自EE Times，版權(quán)所有，謝絕轉(zhuǎn)載 本文下一頁(yè)：汽車內(nèi)建LTE模塊vs. LTE智能手機(jī)

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{pagination} 高通表示，汽車業(yè)者可選擇20納米制程LTE方案(Gobi9x15)，或者是28納米的LTE-Advanced方 案(Gobi9x30)；這兩種方案都預(yù)先整合了高通的WiFi 802.11ac/p與藍(lán)牙(Bluetooth) LE4.0芯片組QCA6574，以及高通最近發(fā)表的車規(guī)Snapdragon 602A應(yīng)用處理器。 透過(guò)“預(yù)先整合”，高通的目的是為汽車系統(tǒng)架構(gòu)提供優(yōu)化的配置與控制，包括針對(duì)最大化數(shù)據(jù)吞吐量、降低功耗，以及讓LTE/3G、Wi-Fi、藍(lán)牙與全球衛(wèi)星導(dǎo)航系統(tǒng)(GNSS)等功能良好互動(dòng)所進(jìn)行的軟件整合。不過(guò)讓車用資通訊娛樂(lè)系統(tǒng)模塊達(dá)到“車規(guī)”的任務(wù)，則是交由模塊供貨商與一階汽車零組件供貨商們來(lái)達(dá)成。 QCA6574是高通專門為同步提供車內(nèi)Wi-Fi熱點(diǎn)功能與藍(lán)牙傳輸所設(shè)計(jì)的芯片組，該芯片組也支持復(fù)合美國(guó)國(guó)家高速公路安全局(NHTSA)新法規(guī)、強(qiáng)調(diào)V2V通訊安全行的DSRC短程通訊技術(shù)。高通表示他們目前是唯一可提供DSRC商用芯片的供貨商。 汽車內(nèi)建LTE模塊vs. LTE智能手機(jī) 不過(guò)現(xiàn)在仍無(wú)法確定的是，內(nèi)建LTE模塊的汽車以及支持LTE的智能手機(jī)，在兩個(gè)方面是否會(huì)產(chǎn)生沖突或是能相互協(xié)調(diào)──應(yīng)用程序以及網(wǎng)絡(luò)通訊費(fèi)。 GM對(duì)于提供軟件開(kāi)發(fā)商汽車應(yīng)用程序編程接口(API)向來(lái)非常開(kāi)放，目的是希望開(kāi)發(fā)商能多多為該公司的車用娛樂(lè)系統(tǒng)打造應(yīng)用程序。據(jù)了解，GM SDK可提供新的應(yīng)用程序架構(gòu)，讓駕駛?cè)嗽诟顿M(fèi)購(gòu)買后立即為汽車增加新的應(yīng)用程序與功能。 而事實(shí)上，GM與AT&T在1月份時(shí)就宣布合作，GM將贊助AT&T將于美國(guó)拉斯韋加斯舉行的一場(chǎng)行動(dòng)應(yīng)用程序開(kāi)發(fā)商Hackathon活動(dòng)里的“連網(wǎng)汽車競(jìng)賽(Connected Car Challenge)”。GM鼓勵(lì)軟件開(kāi)發(fā)商為該公司汽車打造獨(dú)特應(yīng)用程序的策略，與另一家車廠福特(Ford)大相徑庭，后者提供的SDK是讓軟件開(kāi)發(fā) 商撰寫智能手機(jī)應(yīng)用程序。 資費(fèi)方案也是當(dāng)汽車內(nèi)建LTE模塊廣泛被采用之后，可能遇到的另一個(gè)難題；IHS的 Juliussen 表示，汽車業(yè)者會(huì)很難在資費(fèi)方案上與大多數(shù)駕駛?cè)硕家呀?jīng)在使用的資費(fèi)方案競(jìng)爭(zhēng)：“如果駕駛?cè)耸褂玫能囉眯畔蕵?lè)系統(tǒng)資費(fèi)方案，能與手機(jī)合并為一套多裝置資費(fèi)方案，也許會(huì)有幫助；但在美國(guó)，移動(dòng)通信業(yè)者不知道愿不愿意與競(jìng)爭(zhēng)對(duì)手進(jìn)行這樣的合作?！? 本文授權(quán)編譯自EE Times，版權(quán)所有，謝絕轉(zhuǎn)載 編譯：Judith Cheng 參考英文原文：LTE Built-In GM Cars: No Smartphones Required，by Junko Yoshida

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{pagination} LTE Built-In GM Cars: No Smartphones Required Junko Yoshida GM Partners with AT&T; Qualcomm Goes for 20nm LTE-A Chips Smartphones are no longer the only platform hotly pursued by cellular operators eager to boost their revenue. Now, it’s cars. Many network service operators see automobiles as their next big growth opportunity. Automakers, also seeing dollar signs in this scenario, are hyping their cars as “smartphones on wheels.” Meanwhile, Qualcomm, the only semiconductor supplier of LTE chipsets for the automotive market, is ratcheting up its automotive LTE efforts by rolling out what the company calls “the world’s first commercial 20nm LTE-Advanced chip set for automotive.” Qualcomm’s LTE-Advanced chipset, designated Gobi 9x30, supports “LTE FDD/ TDD Advanced Category 6 with up to 40 MHz Carrier Aggregation and Up To 300 Mbps Downlink,” according to the company. At the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, General Motors announced Monday that it would go long and wide in deploying 4G LTE services across their vehicles. GM will integrate the built-in 4G LTE structure into the vehicle’s electrical system and include an external antenna to maximize coverage and connectivity. For the North American market, GM selected AT&T as its partner. The two companies laid out their plan to wirelessly deliver an enhanced suite of safety, security, diagnostic and infotainment services to most Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, and Cadillac vehicles, beginning in 2014 in the United States and Canada. Touting a 4G LTE modem module to be built into the car, GM stressed in a press release, “Customers will not be required to have a smartphone to use connected services.” GM envisions the initial usage for its built-in LTE modem will be delivering fast, reliable connectivity to GM’s telematics services, OnStar, as well as fast connection to in-vehicle devices for data and infotainment applications. Over time, carmakers see connectivity use growing well beyond such telematics and infotainment applications. Emerging on the horizon is the use of an LTE modem to interact with the environment the vehicle, to enhance safety, efficiency, and convenience for drivers and passengers. 4G LTE appears destined to become integral to vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) or vehicle-to-infrastrcture (V2I) future. GM talked about future services such as real-time traffic and navigation updates that pull information from the cloud. Source: GM Future proofing According to IHS Automotive, the current embedded modem market is still mostly 2.5G since the vast majority of telematics systems operate their services at a low data-rate. However, the telematics industry today is migrating from 2.5G directly to LTE, mostly by skipping 3G, according to Egil Juliussen, principal analyst, infotainment and ADAS market, at IHS Automotive. Car OEMs are looking at LTE, said Juliussen, because they want to future-proof their connected car technology. Their motivation is not necessarily the bandwidth, he added. The same “future proof” logic seems to be driving Qualcomm to aggressively promote an LTE-Advanced chipset at 20nm process. “As operators deploy the next generation of LTE Advanced networks, automakers are starting to plan out their vehicle platform upgrade and adoption for this new technology,” a Qualcomm spokeswoman told EE Times. With the announcement of Gobi 9x30, Qualcomm’s LTE-Advanced chipset, “Our Tier-1 and automaker customers can now offer a tiered connected head unit solution,” she added. Carmakers can choose: either 20-nm based LTE (with Gobi9x15) or 28-nm based LTE-Advanced (with Gobi9x30), each of which is pre-integrated with Qualcomm’s QCA6574 for WiFi 802.11ac/p and Bluetooth LE4.0 technologies and Qualcomm’s recently announced automotive-grade Snapdragon 602A apps processor. By "pre-integration," Qualcomm means providing optimal implementation and control over the automotive system architecture -- including software integration for maximizing throughput, power consumption, and interaction between LTE/3G, WiFi, BT and GNSS functionality. The ultimate task of the automotive-grade “hardening” for telematics units at the module level, however, is left to module vendors and Tier Ones. Beyond LTE and LTE-A chipset, it’s worth noting that Qualcomm’s QCA6574 is designed to simultaneously support in-car Wi-Fi hotspot functions and Bluetooth profiles. Moreover, the wireless chipset also supports DSRC (dedicated short-range communications), a technology required to comply with future regulation recently announced by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to increase safety through vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication. Qualcomm at this point is the only vendor offering DSRC capability in commercial chips. In-car LTE modem vs. LTE-enabled smartphones It remains uncertain how vehicles with built-in LTE modems will either collide or mesh with LTE-enabled smartphones on two fronts: applications and network subscription fees. GM has been very public about offering developers a new set of vehicle application programming interfaces (APIs), in hopes that they will build apps for GM infotainment systems. The GM SDK is said to offer a new application framework that will allow drivers to add apps and features to vehicles after purchase. In fact, GM and AT&T first teamed up in January when GM sponsored a Connected Car Challenge as part of an AT&T Hackathon for mobile app developers in Las Vegas. GM’s approach, courting software developers to write unique apps for its cars, is different from that of Ford, which offers its own SDK for software developers to write smartphone apps. One of the biggest challenges for the widespread use of LTE inside cars is the data plan. It will be "difficult [for car OEMs] to compete with the smartphone data plan that most drivers will have," said IHS Automotive’s Juliussen. "If the driver can include the telematics LTE data plan as part of a multi-device plan, that'll help. But in the United States, the mobile network operators are not known for allowing cooperation with their competitors."