Other firms participating in the trials are Japanese telco NTT Docomo, Nissan and Continental
Ericsson, Qualcomm, together with Japanese telco NTT Docomo and other firms including Nissan and Continental have unveiled plans to carry out their first cellular vehicle-to-everything (C-V2X) trials in Japan.
The objective of this initial trial is to validate and demonstrate the benefits of C-V2X using direct communication technology defined by the 3GPP in their Release 14 specifications.
The partners said that the trials are designed to show the enhanced range, reliability and latency benefits of C-V2X direct communications operated in 5 GHz band. Additionally, the C-V2X Trials are designed to demonstrate the complementary benefits of network-based communications utilizing LTE-Advanced (LTE-A).
The involved companies also highlighted that the trial results will help develop the ecosystem by providing inputs to the relevant stakeholders, including ITS-related organizations and government agencies.
C-V2X complements other advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) sensors, such as radar, lidar, and camera systems.
The trial is expected to begin in 2018 and the use cases are designed to focus on vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) and vehicle-to-pedestrian (V2P) direct communications, as well as vehicle-to-network (V2N) communications.
Ericsson will use a combination of direct communication and LTE-A network technologies while NTT Docomo will provide LTE-A network and V2N applications to demonstrate the benefits of complementary use of network-based communications for a variety of advanced automotive informational safety use cases. Meanwhile, Continental will utilize the Qualcomm C-V2X reference design, which features the Qualcomm 9150 C-V2X chipset with integrated Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) capability.
“The C-V2X solution is unique in that it, within a common technology and eco-system, offers both network-based and direct communication for V2X services. With the network-based communication, there is a possibility to provide traffic safety and traffic efficiency services utilizing already existing coverage and penetration of cellular modems and smartphones. It also provides connectivity to various cloud-based services, providing a range of applications and value-added services. In these trials, all stakeholders are present to showcase the strength of the complete solution covering both connectivity and different applications. Ericsson is contributing with leading 4G, 5G radio, and network expertise and by leveraging our understanding of the IoT ecosystem,” said Erik Ekudden, chief technology officer at Ericsson.
“We are pleased to be working alongside such a dynamic group of forward-thinking companies to demonstrate the capabilities of C-V2X technology in the first announced Japanese trials. With its direct communications capabilities, C-V2X is expected to be an important factor in facilitating enhanced safety consciousness and driver assistance,” said Nakul Duggal, vice president of product management, at Qualcomm Technologies. “This Japan trial is a milestone in the global deployment of C-V2X technology which is expected to be featured in production vehicles by 2020.
In related news, German mobile operator Vodafone and global provider of mapping and location services HERE, have recently signed a strategic partnership focused on services for autonomous vehicles and smart cities.
Under this agreement, the companies intend to test HD Live Map, HERE’s machine readable map for autonomous cars, at the Aldenhoven Testing Center in Germany, where Vodafone Germany operates a 5G Mobility Lab.
The two partners also plan to extend their collaboration to services for smart cities. The companies are already identifying potential opportunities to integrate HERE location services within Vodafone Germany’s IoT offering. One is in the area of on-demand and automated waste management. This would take into account factors including traffic, fuel consumption and every city’s unique infrastructure.
