UWB got initially utilized in the military field, and began to be commercially applied after the release of criteria for UWB commercialization in 2002. In 2019, Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC) listed UWB as the next-generation vehicle security access technology, conducing to the massive availability to mobile devices.
In July 2021, CCC officially issued the CCC3.0 standards, which clearly proposes that the combination of UWB and BLE (Bluetooth) wireless technologies enables passive keyless entry and engine start through compatible mobile devices.
CCC Digital Key 3.0 will bring better user experience by implementing UWB connectivity to add hands-free, location-aware keyless entry and location-aware capabilities.
To date, a number of Chinese and foreign OEMs have begun to deploy UWB technology. To ensure the safety of the passive entry system, Range Rover Evoque has started to employ UWB technology since 2018; all NIO ET7 models delivered in early 2022 support the UWB key positioning function (leveraging UWB+Bluetooth+NFC fusion technology), and the upcoming NIO ET5 also plans to carry UWB technology.
In addition, BMW, Hyundai, etc. all plan to launch models outfitted with UWB digital key in 2022, and the UWB digital key will usher in mass production.
Enthusiastically promoted by NIO, Great Wall Motor, Land Rover, BMW and other OEMs, UWB is projected to be available onto millions of passenger cars, accompanied by a sharp fall in the cost of single car. UWB technology will be eventually a standard configuration of intelligent connected vehicles, connecting vehicle to everything.
BMW: In 2021, BMW unveiled the new BMW iDrive system, which is equipped with UWB technology for the first time, and upgraded the mobile car key technology to Digital Key Plus in line with CCC 3.0 communication standards.
BMW Digital Key Plus will be first installed on the BMW iX, which can unlock/lock the doors automatically, but which currently only supports Apple devices with the Apple U1 chip.
In the future, BMW will continue to cooperate with Apple and CCC to develop the digital key 3.0 criterion based on UWB technology, formulating a new technical standard for the global automotive industry.
Measureless UWB derivatives attract the inrush of companies
UWB is still in its infancy in the automotive sector, and it is now used mainly in unconscious entry by UWB digital key. In the future, OEMs hope to open up a smart mobility ecosystem through UWB digital keys, and derive more personalized applications, such as UWB-based automotive AVP, car sharing and car payment.
Besides, UWB-based smart phones are increasingly accessible. In the future, if the mobile phone and automobile UWB technology potential markets are connected through, UWB application-based industry chain ecosystem will become a blue sea market.
It is because UWB can derive a broad industry ecosystem that the companies concerned have begun to actively deploy UWB technology.
Auto parts system suppliers: promote the OEM deployment of UWB technology for mass production
KOSTAL: With the mass production and delivery of NIO ET7, KOSTAL's UWB digital key has been truly spawned. KOSTAL has developed an exclusive communication protocol for UWB digital key system, which is compatible with CCC protocol, so that the company's products can suit the wireless communication criteria of different OEMs, which is conducive to popularizing mass production.
HELLA: In June 2021, Hella rolled out a smart vehicle entry system based on UWB technology. When the car owner is within a distance of 50 meters, the car will automatically detect and identify his/her mobile device; when the owner is within two meters of the car, the car is automatically unlocked; however, the engine can only be started when the smartphone is in the car. The technology will be in mass production within two years, says Hella.
TsingCar: Relying on R&D accumulation of the parent company TSINGOAL in the UWB field, TsingCar has successfully developed a UWB digital key solution, enabling UWB-based tailgate kick, in-cabin liveness detection, and UWB-based high-precision positioning and navigation AVP function.
Kunchen: Kunchen has built public parking lots based on UWB technology in Shanghai, and plans to cover Chengdu, Beijing, Guangzhou and other cities. Also, the company integrates UWB module and RTK module to form an indoor and outdoor fusion positioning box, which transmits the fusion coordinate data to the car and supports AVP.
Jingwei Technology: It provides proprietary UWB chip modules, positioning hardware & software and system solutions. Notably, Great Wall Motor's ORA Haomao is equipped with the "Find ME Mobile Connect & Positioning System" of Jingwei Technology.
Tech companies: From mobile phones to automobiles, joint efforts are being made to foster a UWB industry chain ecosystem.
Apple: Beginning in 2020, Apple included the new Car Key feature as an integral of iOS 13.6. When the iPhone holder approaches the car, the signal transmitted by the UWB transmitter on the iPhone will be received by the UWB antenna on the vehicle. The central processing unit then calculates the distance and specific location of the mobile phone around the car according to the signal field strength and direction provided by the UWB antenna, so as to make a targeted response.
Xiaomi: In 2020, a UWB-based garage car-finding solution was released by Xiaomi. When the car is parked in the garage, the UWB anchor interacts with UWB module in the car to be positioned, and the UWB anchor can obtain the distance and location of the car as well as identification information of the car's UWB module and send the information to UWB server. According to the position of UWB anchor in the garage, the server can obtain the parking position of the car by calculating the distance and position between multiple anchors and the car to be located, and store it in the UWB server.
Also, Xiaomi officially announced its entry into car manufacturing in 2021, and successively established Xiaomi Auto Co., Ltd., Xiaomi Auto Technology Co., Ltd., etc. Expectedly, Xiaomi Auto will use the self-developed UWB technology in the future.
Automotive Ultra Wide Band (UWB) Industry Report, 2022 highlights the following:
UWB positioning technology, UWB system features, UWB industry policies and standards as well as UWB application, etc.;
UWB industry chain, market size, market pattern, technical trends, etc.;
UWB use in varied scenarios (digital key, autonomous driving positioning, indoors parking lot, smart traffic lights);
Influential automotive UWB chip suppliers and their UWB product lines;
Influential automotive UWB system solution integrators and their UWB solutions & application.
Key Topics Covered:
1. UWB Industry Overview 1.1 UWB Positioning Method 1.2 UWB System Features 1.3 UWB Industry Policies and Standards 1.4 UWB Application 1.5 Necessity of UWB Application
2. Status Quo and Development Trends of UWB Market 2.1 UWB Industry Chain 2.1.1 UWB Industry Chain Map 2.1.2 UWB Supply Chain Players 2.1.3 Major Foreign UWB Technology Providers (I) 2.1.4 Major Foreign UWB Technology Providers (II) 2.1.5 Major Foreign UWB Technology Providers (III) 2.2 UWB Market Size 2.2.1 Global UWB Market Size 2.2.2 Global Passenger Car UWB Market Size 2.2.3 China UWB Market Size 2.2.4 China Passenger Car UWB Market Size (I) 2.2.5 China Passenger Car UWB Market Size (II) 2.3 UWB Market Pattern 2.3.1 UWB Basic Technology Market Structure 2.3.2 Market Structure of UWB Application Solutions 2.3.3 Difficulties in Chinese UWB Industry 2.4 UWB Technology Trends 2.4.1 UWB Digital Key Applications on a Rise 2.4.2 The Fusion of UWB+Bluetooth+NFC Will Become the Mainstream Solution of Digital Key (I) 2.4.3 The Fusion of UWB+Bluetooth+NFC Will Become the Mainstream Solution of Digital Key (II) 2.4.4 Collaborative Application of UWB and V2X 2.5 UWB Cost Status 2.5.1 UWB Application Cost Is High 2.5.2 UWB Hardware Cost 2.5.3 Vehicle UWB Hardware Reuse Reduces Usage Costs
3. UWB Application Scenarios 3.1 UWB Application Scenario 1: Digital Key 3.1.1 Course of UWB Application in Automobile 3.1.2 UWB Can Improve Digital Key Security 3.1.3 UWB Digital Key Layout in Vehicle (I) 3.1.4 UWB Digital Key Layout in Vehicle (II) 3.1.5 Passenger Car UWB Digital Key Installation 3.1.6 UWB Use in NIO Cars 3.1.7 Great Wall Motor's UWB Precise Positioning Technology 3.1.8 BMW UWB Technology Application 3.1.9 Advantages of BMW Digital Key 3.1.10 Tesla UWB Technology Application 3.1.11 Hyundai UWB Technology Application 3.1.12 Jaguar Land Rover UWB Application 3.1.13 Land Rover Range Rover UWB System Topology 3.2 UWB Application Scenario 2: Autonomous Driving Positioning 3.2.1 Availability of UWB High-precision Positioning Technology onto Passenger Cars 3.2.2 Advantages of Selecting UWB for Autonomous Vehicle AVP Technology 3.2.3 Volkswagen's Application of UWB Technology (I) 3.2.4 Volkswagen's Application of UWB Technology (II) 3.2.5 Great Wall ORA's UWB-based Positioning for Autonomous Driving 3.2.6 Kunchen's Open Road Blind Spot Coverage Based on UWB 3.3 UWB Application Scenario III: Indoor Parking Lot 3.3.1 Underground Parking Lot UWB Positioning System (I) 3.3.2 Underground Parking Lot UWB Positioning System (II) 3.3.3 Integrated Deployment Solution of UWB and V2X in Parking Lot 3.3.4 Kunchen's UWB-based AVP Parking Lot Deployment Solution 3.3.5 Application of Jingwei Technology's UWB Technology in Parking Lot 3.3.6 Exploration of Business Model of Underground Parking Lot Based on UWB 3.3.7 Qianxun SI's Indoor And Outdoor Integrated Positioning Technology Based on UWB 3.4 UWB Application Scenario 4: Intelligent Transportation 3.4.1 Composition of UWB Positioning System 3.4.2 Application of UWB in Viaduct (Overpass) Scenario 3.4.3 Application of UWB in Tunnel Scenario 3.4.4 Application of UWB in Overtaking Scenarios on Large Curves 3.5 UWB Application Scenario 5: Industrial Scenarios 3.5.1 Summary of UWB Application in Industrial Scenarios (I) 3.5.2 Summary of UWB Application in Industrial Scenarios (II) 3.5.3 Volkswagen Smart Factory UWB Positioning Solution
4. UWB Chip Suppliers 4.1 NXP 4.1.1 UWB Solution 4.1.2 UWB Product Line 4.1.3 UWB IC for Automobile 4.1.4 UWB IC Architecture for Automobile 4.1.5 UWB-based Car Intelligent Access Control System 4.2 Microchip 4.2.1 Automotive UWB Chips 4.2.2 UWB Chip ATA5352 4.2.3 UWB Chip ATA5350 4.3 ST 4.3.1 UWB Business 4.3.2 UWB Product: BAL-UWB-01E3 4.3.3 UWB Product: B-UWB-MOD1 4.3.4 UWB Product: B-UWB-MOD1 4.4 Qorvo 4.4.1 UWB Business 4.4.2 UWB Product Line 4.4.3 UWB Technology Strength 4.4.4 UWB Technology for Automotive Use 4.5 3db Access AG 4.5.1 UWB Chips 4.5.2 UWB Chip Application 4.5.3 Partnership with Renesas 4.6 Apple 4.6.1 UWB Solution for Automobile 4.6.2 Keyless Entry Patents 4.6.3 U1 Chip Series 4.7 Xiaomi 4.7.1 UWB Technology Layout 4.7.2 Garage Car-finding Solution based on UWB Positioning Technology 4.7.3 Method of Implementing Garage Car-finding Solution 4.7.4 Xiaomi Auto Business 4.8 Others 4.8.1 UWB Business of NewRadiTech 4.8.2 UWB Business of Wenzhou Yanchuang IoT Tech 4.8.3 PATEO Deployment of UWB Digital Key
