Cross-layer latency analysis for 5G NR in V2X communications

The 5G network was developed to push the capabilities of wireless networks to previously unseen performance limits, e.g., transmission rates of several gigabits per second, latency of less than a millisecond, and millions of devices connected at the same time. To meet these requirements, it is necessary to access new spectrum (the so-called millimeter waves) and use techniques such as Massive MIMO (Multiple-Input Multiple-Output) and beamforming. This required the design of a new radio interface, known as 5G NR, that includes improvements to its physical components and new protocols. The performance of the 5G network will depend heavily on the behavior of these new protocols under certain configuration parameters, traffic conditions, device density, and network architecture. This paper introduces an analytical model for the performance evaluation of 5G NR. The developed model describes the behavior of the different layer 1 and 2 protocols involved in 5G radio communication. Using the model, it is possible to evaluate the performance of 5G NR in terms of throughput and latency, two key performance metrics used to describe QoS (Quality of Service) thresholds of different applications. The protocol layer approach gives the model sufficient granularity to identify critical behaviors that significantly impact performance. This can help focus efforts on improving these key points or propose improvements/modifications to the operation of network protocols or devices. The use of this model for performance evaluation is exemplified by studying a Remote Driving scenario operated over 5G. This scenario has very stringent delay requirements, which, according to the model’s results, can be satisfied if the network conditions are adequate. This model and its results can be used as a starting point for performance evaluations of application involving end-to-end (E2E) communications.