BMFTR Forschungsprojekt · 6G · NTN · Autonomous Vehicles

Ubiquitous 6G
from Space
to Road.

6G-Coverage unifies terrestrial and non-terrestrial satellite networks to deliver seamless, ultra-reliable connectivity for autonomous vehicles — wherever they operate.

Learn More Our Consortium

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The Future of
Autonomous Mobility
Needs 6G Coverage.

To this end, 6G-Coverage will strive for a unified TN/NTN architecture, in which LEO satellite constellations provide connectivity together with terrestrial 6G networks dynamically and according to demand.

The holistic approach opens up space for innovations that go beyond 3GPP 5G-NTN by exploiting the full potential of satellite-assisted positioning and V2X communication for SAE Level 4 and 5 autonomous vehicles.

9.5M€BMFTR Funding

36Months · 2026–2029

<10msV2X Latency Target

SAE 4/5Autonomy Level

Research Focus

This Novel Unified TN/NTN Architecture
Will Have the Following Features

NTN Integration for Autonomous Mobility

3GPP-compliant NTN protocols connecting LEO satellite constellations seamlessly with 6G terrestrial networks for continuous vehicle coverage in remote corridors.

High-Reliability V2X Communication

Handover mechanisms and resource allocation for Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) in hybrid TN/NTN environments with latency requirements below 10 ms.

Cell-Free Massive MIMO & Positioning

3D Cell-Free Massive MIMO architectures for uniform area coverage, combined with satellite-aided precision positioning for SAE Level 4 and 5 vehicles.

Seamless TN/NTN Handover

Sub-millisecond switching between ground stations and satellite links — zero service interruption for safety-critical messages in autonomous vehicle operation.

AI-Driven Network Management

Autonomous monitoring of connection availability between network nodes, selecting optimal routes based on resource consumption, energy efficiency and cost.

High-Gain Antenna Systems

Advanced antenna systems with high gains in ground terminals and satellite nodes to bridge signal losses across long distances in the TN/NTN link budget.

Reconfigurable Hardware Payloads

Reconfigurable microelectronics for satellite and HAPS communication payloads to implement dynamic shifting of network functionalities based on real-time demand.

Unified Access Mechanism

Automatic selection of the best network access from all available terrestrial and satellite options to meet the vehicle’s communication needs in real time.

Ubiquitous 6G from Space to Road.

The Future ofAutonomous MobilityNeeds 6G Coverage.

This Novel Unified TN/NTN ArchitectureWill Have the Following Features

Combine All AvailableTechnologies Into a Unified6G Coverage Network.

Our Consortium

Ubiquitous 6G
from Space
to Road.

The Future of
Autonomous Mobility
Needs 6G Coverage.

This Novel Unified TN/NTN Architecture
Will Have the Following Features

Combine All Available
Technologies Into a Unified
6G Coverage Network.