6G-Enabled Communication Frameworks for Autonomous Vehicles in Smart Cities

Sixth-Generation (6G) wireless systems are expected to fundamentally transform Autonomous Vehicle (AV) communications by delivering ultra-low latency, exceptional reliability, and intelligent network management required for next-generation smart city environments. In contrast to fifth-generation (5G) networks, which face constraints in latency performance and large-scale scalability, 6G aims to achieve sub-millisecond end-to-end communication, terabit-level data rates, and reliability beyond 99.99999%, enabling extremely dense vehicular deployments. This chapter provides a detailed examination of 6G- enabled vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication frameworks, focusing on architectural advancements, core enabling technologies, and security considerations. A hierarchical three- layer architecture is introduced that combines terahertz communications, integrated sensing and communication, AI-native network slicing, and quantum-resilient cryptographic mechanisms to support collision-free platooning, cooperative perception, and intelligent traffic coordination. The chapter further explores emerging concepts such as semantic communication, federated learning-based mobility intelligence, and edge-assisted blockchain for secure data exchange. Performance evaluations indicate substantial reductions in collision risk and significant latency improvements in dense urban scenarios. The chapter concludes by outlining open research challenges and a forward-looking roadmap toward 2030, emphasizing quantum-safe security and satellite–air–ground network convergence for resilient autonomous mobility.