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The 5G technology applied to automotive mobility

Trends

December 17, 2019

9 MIN of Reading

The concept V2X (vehicle to everything) applied by the Portuguese Veniam

Imagine driving and receiving alerts for obstacles that are not yet in your field of vision, avoiding potential accidents before they happen. It is a vehicle that issues warnings whenever pedestrians, cyclists, or obstacles cross the road. This is not a science fiction movie. The scenario of having vehicles communicate with each other and interpret information about their surroundings is already a reality, and the main driver of this evolution is 5G technology.

Driving with a sixth sense

SEAT, one of the main car manufacturers, has been a pioneer in the implementation of this technology. “Until now, the vehicle only offered information that the driver could see. Now, thanks to 5G technology, it will receive information from the urban environment before the driver sees it,” says César de Marco, SEAT engineer and responsible for the pilot project “5G Connected Car”.

The advantages of implementing 5G technology

Communication, control, and computing are the key concepts of the automotive industry to which 5G technology will make a significant contribution, summarizes João Barros,CEO of Veniam,Portuguese startup that develops software to allow vehicles to communicate with each other and transmit large volumes of data. The potentialities of 5G connectivity are great, mainly because it is a "versatile technology that, in combination with all existing networks, can lead to the highest level of innovation," emphasizes João Barros.

The advantages of 5G networks are evident: provision of multiple services and applications, improvement of road safety, and the fact that it boosts significant advances in the production of autonomous vehicles.

When compared with 4G connectivity, 5G technology has the great advantage of allowing vehicles to communicate with each other and receive information immediately, enabling an instant reading of what is happening around and a safer and more efficient driving experience, emphasizes the CEO of Veniam.

To safety are added the benefits in the area of mobility in cities with the reduction of congestion and the ecological footprint due to lower fuel consumption. But, overall, the potential that opens up for the automotive industry is enormous, explains João Barros: “Manufacturers now have new ways to monetize their services, new companies have the opportunity to enter the market providing their applications, and the user starts to benefit from new digital experiences.”

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On the way to the revolution of the automotive industry

Being evident the advantages of adopting 5G connectivity in the automotive industry, its full introduction has a long way to go. “5G technology is still a bit delayed, due to the high costs it implies,” says João Barros, adding that, at this moment, there is still a learning curve and an adaptation period needed by the entire chain responsible for this technology, from manufacturers and government entities to telecommunications companies.

Still, according to the CEO of Veniam, "we can and should already talk about V2X communication." The concept of Vehicle to Everything or V2X – communication of the vehicle with the existing infrastructure and other vehicles – is being applied by entities such as the Veniam, that is working with car manufacturers and establishing partnerships with companies like Bosch for data communication. Thus, it was possible to develop software that aims to keep the vehicle constantly connected to the network, ensuring connection with other vehicles, as well as sending data to the cloud.

The change is happening and new opportunities are emerging on an unavoidable path where 5G technology will have to coexist with all current networks to create what João Barros calls "a true revolution in the automotive industry".

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