LG Innotek unveils first 5G car module with satellite connection

SEOUL: LG Innotek has developed the first car communication device that uses 5G and satellites to stay online everywhere.

CEO Moon Hyuksoo yesterday revealed that the new module can switch between regular 5G networks and satellites, so vehicles can send and receive large amounts of data — like maps, video and emergency alerts —even in remote areas or during natural disasters.

Older satellite modules worked on very narrow channels and could only handle small data tasks such as text messages.

They were too slow for modern needs like real-time navigation or updating self-driving software.

LG Innotek’s new module uses a much wider channel, boosting speeds into the tens of megabits per second and cutting delays from several seconds to just a few hundred milliseconds.

That means a car can upload crash data or request assistance almost instantly, wherever it is.

The device combines advanced antenna and radio-frequency designs with in-house software optimisations, all built on more than 20 years of vehicle communications research. It meets the latest global standard (3GPP Release 17), allowing carmakers worldwide to adopt it easily.

Mass production starts in early 2026, with initial customers in North America and Japan.

LG Innotek’s automotive arm chief Byaeng kuk Yoo said the module would be a key part of the business, alongside car lighting systems, and aims to grow this business into an US$800 million (RM3.3bil) market.

Experts expect the number of cars with 5G modules to rise from 4 million in 2024 to 75 million by 2032.