A Tutorial on 5G NR V2X Communications

García, Mario H. Castañeda; Molina-Galan, Alejandro; Boban, Mate; Gozálvez, Javier; Coll-Perales, Baldomero; Şahin, Taylan; Κουσαρίδας, Απόστολος · 2021 · OpenAlex-citations

DOI: 10.1109/comst.2021.3057017

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Summary

This tutorial paper provides a comprehensive overview of the 3GPP Release 16 standard for 5G New Radio (NR) Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) communications. The research is motivated by the need to support connected and automated driving use cases with stringent requirements that exceed the capabilities of previous LTE-based V2X standards. While LTE V2X (Release 14/15) supports basic safety and traffic management, 5G NR V2X is designed to complement it by enabling advanced functionalities such as vehicle platooning, extended sensor sharing, and remote driving. The paper aims to serve as a reference for understanding the technical specifications, system architecture, and operational mechanisms of the first 5G V2X standard. The authors structure the tutorial by first reviewing LTE V2X to highlight the novelties introduced in 5G NR V2X. They detail the physical layer structure, including the use of SC-FDMA in LTE versus the new NR air interface, and explain resource allocation modes. Specifically, they describe LTE V2X Mode 3 (network-scheduled) and Mode 4 (autonomous sensing-based scheduling), outlining the sensing window, selection window, and congestion control metrics like Channel Busy Ratio (CBR) and Channel Occupancy Ratio (CR). The paper then transitions to 5G NR V2X, focusing heavily on the sidelink (SL) interface, which enables direct communication between vehicles, roadside units, and pedestrians without routing data through the network. It covers the NR V2X physical layer, resource allocation modes, Quality of Service (QoS) management frameworks, and enhancements to the Uu interface for Vehicle-to-Network (V2N) communications. Additionally, the authors describe the coexistence mechanisms between 5G NR V2X and LTE V2X to ensure seamless operation. The findings presented are descriptive rather than experimental, as this is a tutorial summarizing established standards. The paper identifies four primary 3GPP use case groups: Vehicles Platooning, Advanced Driving, Extended Sensors, and Remote Driving. It details the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for these groups, including payload size, transmission rate, maximum end-to-end latency, reliability, and required communication range. The authors also map these to 5G Automotive Association (5GAA) use case groups, such as Safety, Autonomous Driving, and Traffic Efficiency. The tutorial clarifies that 5G NR V2X is intended to complement, not replace, LTE V2X, and outlines the evaluation methodology defined by 3GPP, including new channel models and simulation assumptions for system and link-level performance assessment. The significance of this work lies in its role as a foundational reference for researchers and engineers developing connected and automated vehicle technologies. By providing an in-depth treatment of the Release 16 specifications, the paper clarifies the technical evolution from LTE to 5G in the V2X domain. It highlights the critical role of the sidelink in supporting ubiquitous V2X communications and addresses the stringent QoS requirements necessary for higher levels of automation. Furthermore, the paper offers an outlook on future enhancements identified in Release 17, guiding subsequent research directions in 5G NR V2X communications.

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• v2x connected vehicle