LG Electronics drove a vehicle equipped with its IoT-NTN-based telematics control units (TCUs) around Paris, France, as part of last week’s 5G Automotive Association (5GAA) conference.

This demonstration marked the first instance of uninterrupted, conversation-level voice communication while seamlessly switching between terrestrial and non-terrestrial network environments.

IoT-NTN is a communication network system that integrates satellite communication and high-altitude platform stations. This system ensures connectivity via satellite in areas unreachable by terrestrial networks (TN) such as 3G, 4G and 5G. It supports applications such as autonomous driving, vehicle tracking, remote control and emergency communication.

The technology is particularly valuable in remote environments such as deserts, oceans and mountainous regions, or in disaster-stricken areas where terrestrial infrastructure is compromised, making it a vital component of future mobility aimed at enhancing driver safety.

To advance this capability, the South Korean firm has developed technology that incorporates AI-powered voice compression into its IoT-NTN system. This significantly reduces the size of voice messages, overcoming the data limitations that previously confined satellite communication to short emergency text messages, and expanding its capabilities to include voice transmission.

As a result, voice message transmission speeds are more than ten times faster.

The technology goes beyond simple voice message exchange, enabling actual two-way conversations. In emergency situations, vehicle occupants can press a single emergency call button to send a voice-based distress signal and describe the situation without needing to type a text message or perform additional actions.

During the conference, LG set up both NTN and TN zones and conducted a live demonstration by driving a vehicle equipped with demo equipment on actual roads. Visitors experienced the system first hand by sending voice messages from a TN area and receiving them in an NTN area, and vice versa, highlighting seamless network switching. To support this capability, LG developed a cloud-based service platform that extends vehicle satellite communication capabilities and connects them to TN, elevating the user experience enabled by IoT-NTN technology.

LG has been an active member of the 5GAA (5gaa.org) since its inception in 2016. The global cross-industry consortium was established to research and commercialise future mobility such as autonomous and connected vehicles based on 5G technology. The association brings together more than 110 companies, including automakers, automotive parts suppliers, telecom operators, and manufacturers of chipsets and network equipment.

“Our IoT-NTN technology represents a leap forward for seamless, reliable connectivity for vehicles in the most remote or challenging environments,” said Lee Sang-yong, head of the vehicle R&D laboratory at LG (www.lg.com). “By enabling real-time voice communication via satellite, we’re not only enhancing driver safety but also laying the groundwork for the next generation of connected mobility.”