Samsung is eyeing the automobile segment to branch off from its traditional smartphone market. We saw an example of that with its 10x optical zoom module, which it insists is also meant for the automotive industry.
Samsung's South Korean rival LG seems equally interested in automotive industry. Recently it came up with next gen digital keys for cars and other vehicles.
Now, LG Innotek, the electronics parts maker that is an associate of LG Electronics, has developed an automotive Wi-Fi module with advanced wireless communication technology. It claims that it is the fastest automotive Wi-Fi module.
LG Innotek plans to commercialize the production by 2022, and it will hit the market with a global marketing strategy with Infineon Technologies AG, a German semiconductor manufacturer that supplies Wi-Fi 6E chips for vehicles.
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The technology behind the LG car Wi-Fi module
The Wi-Fi 6/6E combo solutions operate in the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and the new, greenfield 6 GHz spectrum to deliver robust performance and minimal latency. This makes them ideal for high-quality video and audio streaming applications like gaming consoles, AR/VR, smart speakers, media-streaming devices and automotive infotainment.
Wi-Fi 6E identifies Wi-Fi devices that operate at the less congested 6 GHz band to enable high-bandwidth applications that require faster data throughput and lower latency connectivity.
With the spread of self-driving technology, competition is growing to develop new Wi-Fi module technology, but it was difficult to apply Wi-Fi 6E due to high density inside vehicles and structures such as seats.
The automotive Wi-Fi6E module is a near-field wireless communications component connecting in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) systems to smart devices and external routers. The module combines a communications chipset, a radio frequency circuit and other components.
As the importance of automotive infotainment in the next-generation mobility era will grow, the Wi-Fi 6E module for vehicles will be able to accelerate the evolution of infotainment," Kim Seong-guk, head of LG Innotek's car electronic component business, said in a statement.
Made for automotive communications market
Wi-Fi modules that are currently commercialized often slow down or cut off when sending high-definition video. LG Innotek said its new module has no buffering or disconnection even if multiple people connect at the same time. The expanded bandwidth increases the amount of data and the speed of transmission.
The company also said the new module has enhanced durability as it can withstand temperature changes between -40 degree Celsius and 85 degree Celsius. It was developed with a larger synapse surface design to cope with repeated shrinking and swelling.
With this module, LG Innotek hopes to make a major splash in the automotive communications component market that is currently dominated by Japanese firms.
