As Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) connectivity moves from demonstration to deployment, connected cars are poised to gain something the industry has pursued for decades: truly ubiquitous connectivity. But delivering on that promise requires more than satellites in orbit. CSPs must ensure that satellite and terrestrial networks work together seamlessly, reliably, and at a global scale. AI-powered testing and service assurance will be critical to making that vision a reality.
Since the first connected car service, OnStar, was launched by General Motors in collaboration with Motorola 30 years ago, the connected car industry has been waiting for low-latency connectivity, ultra-reliability, and global scalability to converge at critical mass.
That moment is quickly approaching. Just last year, the 5G Automotive Association (5GAA), a cross-industry organization spanning global automakers, Tier-1 suppliers, mobile operators, semiconductor companies, and test equipment vendors, successfully completed an on-road demonstration of Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) satellite connectivity. The demonstrations covered hazard warning, emergency messaging, and voice communication — and according to the 5GAA 2030 Roadmap, initial market deployment of satellite connectivity in vehicles is expected as early as 2027, based on IoT NTN 3GPP Release 17. The results of Analysys Mason’s consumer survey on satellite-enabled emergency and location sharing in cars found that 74% of respondents expressed interest in satellite connectivity for emergency services, highlighting the importance of always-on coverage for safety and consumer peace of mind. Together, these developments suggest the industry is approaching a tipping point: the technology is maturing, and consumer demand is emerging. The question now is how CSPs can prepare their networks and operations to support satellite-enabled connected cars at scale.
NTN: Complementing, Not Replacing, Terrestrial Networks for Connected Cars
NTN is widely regarded as essential to enabling ubiquitous automotive connectivity — not by replacing terrestrial 4G and 5G networks, but by filling the coverage blind spots that occur in rural and other hard-to-reach areas that vehicles regularly traverse. For connected car services to work seamlessly across both networks, intelligent network monitoring must continuously assess signal strength and connection quality. Rather than waiting for a complete signal loss, the system needs to proactively initiate a satellite handoff when cellular performance drops below optimal thresholds, thereby minimizing disruption to ongoing communications and data sessions. The long-term vision is that this switching becomes entirely invisible - and drivers won't even notice when their vehicle shifts from terrestrial to satellite connectivity – but to do so requires a deeper level of network visibility and testing.
The Assurance Gap
While the vision is compelling, delivering a seamless hybrid satellite-terrestrial experience introduces new operational complexities. Research has identified significant challenges facing connected car services today: over 40% of OEMs struggle to maintain consistent service quality across networks, putting Quality of Experience at risk. And without proactive testing, up to 20% of sessions in global fleets face downtime — an unacceptable outcome for safety-critical connected services.
To overcome these challenges and successfully launch connected car satellite services, AI-powered testing and monitoring capabilities are required to:
Validate satellite to core network integration
Ensure roaming, authentication, and charging accuracy
Assure interoperability across partner ecosystems
Test pre-launch SLA readiness
Continuously benchmark real user experience in commercial services
Monitor performance across distributed environments
To take a deeper dive into managing the complexities of satellite connectivity, read our blog, Smarter Satellite Connectivity: Tackling the Complexity of Hybrid Networks.
Key Requirements for Global Connected Car Services
Connectivity that works in a test market but fails on a cross-border road trip isn't truly connected. For CSPs, supporting connected cars at scale means delivering consistent quality not just in 30 or 40 countries, but worldwide — across every network, every roaming partner, and every handoff between terrestrial and satellite coverage. That requires end-to-end testing and assurance spanning both network types, verifying roaming behavior, authentication flows, and services including Direct-to-Cell (D2C), Direct-to-Device (D2D), and 3GPP NTN — with independent, real-world visibility into performance across every market.
Underpinning all of this is AI-powered assurance. From pre-launch validation through to commercial operation, it enables CSPs to move beyond reactive troubleshooting toward predictive operations — launching faster, with greater confidence, and with continuous visibility across lab, field, and live networks. In practice, that means:
Connected car use cases will only grow in ambition. Satellite-based hazard warning, emergency messaging, eCalls, and voice services are already within reach. Infotainment services, such as video streaming and basic video conferencing, will come next. And ultimately, superior satellite connectivity and performance will be critical to supporting autonomous driving, where uninterrupted access to maps and real-time data isn’t optional — it’s essential.
NTN represents a foundational shift in how connectivity will be delivered across industries. While connected cars may be among the first large-scale beneficiaries, the same capabilities will support future innovations in smart cities, aviation, maritime operations, and other mission-critical applications.
That future will require more than satellite coverage alone. CSPs must eliminate blind spots, gain end-to-end insight across hybrid satellite and terrestrial environments, assure service quality, and proactively identify issues before they impact users. As NTN deployments accelerate, AI-powered assurance will become a critical enabler of reliable, scalable, and globally consistent connectivity.
Ready to gain visibility across hybrid satellite and terrestrial networks? Contact us today.