5G Advanced Mobile Communication for Smart Cities and Connected Vehicles

The exponential growth of urban populations and the rapid evolution of mobility demand a communication infrastructure that is not only ultra-fast but also intelligent, reliable, and scalable. 5G Advanced, also referred to as 5.5G, is emerging as a critical enabler of smart cities and connected vehicles, extending the capabilities of traditional 5G networks. Unlike standard 5G, which primarily emphasized high data rates, 5G Advanced integrates enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC), and massive machine-type communication (mMTC) along with AI-native intelligence and energy-efficient architectures. These advancements enable seamless, context-aware, and highly adaptive digital ecosystems. In the context of smart cities, 5G Advanced provides the backbone for millions of interconnected IoT devices including intelligent traffic management systems, high-resolution surveillance cameras, environmental monitoring sensors, smart grids, and connected healthcare solutions. By enabling real-time data exchange, predictive analytics, and autonomous decision-making, 5G Advanced transforms cities into sustainable, safe, and resilient urban ecosystems. For connected vehicles, 5G Advanced is the cornerstone of Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) communication—covering V2V (Vehicle-to-Vehicle), V2I (Vehicle-to-Infrastructure), V2P (Vehicle-to-Pedestrian), and V2N (Vehicle-to-Network). These capabilities support autonomous driving, cooperative collision avoidance, real-time navigation, intelligent fleet management, and immersive in-car experiences such as AR-assisted driving and cloud gaming. With sub-millisecond latency, 5G Advanced ensures end-to-end safety, reliability, and efficiency in transportation systems. This paper explores the architecture, features, and applications of 5G Advanced in building intelligent cities and enabling autonomous mobility. We present block diagrams of system architectures, provide a comparison of 4G, 5G, and 5G Advanced, and discuss key challenges such as spectrum allocation, infrastructure costs, and cybersecurity threats. Furthermore, we review recent research trends and propose a roadmap for integrating 5G Advanced into smart city infrastructures and connected vehicle ecosystems, thereby laying the foundation for future 6G innovations.