W1 Keynote 2: 6G Non-Terrestrial Networks: Vision and Challenges

This keynote focused on the cooperative, connected, and autonomous vehicles (CCAVs) that have attracted tremendous research attention from both academia and industry, aiming at delivering a “society in motion” featured with unprecedented travel experience and significantly enhanced traffic efficiency and safety. The potential of the fifth generation (5G) of mobile networks to support CCAVs has been established from numerous seminal studies and field trials. From an initial interest in the ground segment to a new trend in exploring other domains (e.g., space, air and water), CCAVs have been pivotal to enable ubiquitous, seamless, and scalable mobility. In this context, the aim of this workshop is to assess the capabilities of beyond 5G (B5G) and sixth generation (6G) mobile networks to support CCAVs across all possible (i.e., space, air, ground, marine and submarine) segments. First, the workshop will identify the gaps of the existing 5G solutions in supporting the cooperation, connectivity, and autonomy elements of CCAVs. Second, the workshop will disseminate the latest findings and solutions assessing the capabilities of future B5G/6G networks in filling those gaps arising from a variety of CCAV use cases. Third, the workshop will analyse and discuss pressing challenges and future trends in the development, testing and deployment of CCAVs from various perspectives, including new algorithms, metrics, tools, and materials.