Digital Twins for 6G V2X Communication in ICE Ecosystem

Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) communication is considered an important component of the Internet of Consumer Electronics (ICE) that leverages the capabilities of sixth-generation (6G) networks. However, the unprecedented complexity and stringent performance demands of the ecosystem require a new networking management paradigm. This article introduces a novel hierarchical and distributed architectural framework for Digital Twins (DTs) as a fundamental enabler for 6G V2X. The key contributions of this article are: (1) a hierarchical DT architecture with explicit federation mechanisms to solve scalability challenges; (2) identification of critical enabling technologies, including Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC) and edge AI; and (3) a critical analysis of domain-specific security threats and their solutions. Key findings of this article demonstrate that DT-based management is not merely beneficial but indispensable: even minor 3% synchronization errors lead to URLLC requirement violations, while proactive DT-driven optimization can improve resource efficiency by up to 40% compared to reactive approaches. This article also explores transformative consumer-facing applications, key challenges, and actionable future research directions.