At least 25 mobile operators worldwide are currently involved in trials of LTE or 5G-based Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything (C-V2X) technologies, according to a recent study by the Global mobile Suppliers Association (GSA).
In its report, GSA has identified the following cellular-V2X ecosystem status:
-25 operators involved in trials of LTE- or 5G-based C-V2X technologies;
-Three 3GPP Release 14 compliant C-V2X chipsets;
-Eight pre-commercial and commercial automotive-grade modules supporting LTE or 5G for C-V2X from seven vendors;
-16 C-V2X RSUs from 13 vendors;
-14 C-V2X OBUs from 12 vendors.
Vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology enables equipped vehicles to communicate with other devices in their surroundings – those carried by pedestrians, other vehicles, or devices embedded in road traffic systems.
GSA highlighted that this technology promises to make the roads safer for all users and more convenient for drivers by enabling a wide range of new safety, information and entertainment applications. The V2X concept encompasses several sub-categories of application, including vehicle-to-(transport)-infrastructure (V2I), vehicle-to-pedestrian (V2P), vehicle-to-network (V2N), and vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V).
“Over the past couple of years, investment in V2X has been steadily increasing with operators and governmental bodies planning and carrying out trials and developing and building test sites and/or required infrastructure. We have also seen field trials of V2X on public streets in large-scale or city-wide trials such as in China, Europe, South Korea and the USA,” GSA said in a release.
“Two technologies have been in the running to be deployed in V2X systems. The first to emerge was Wi-Fi-based 802.11p. Versions of this technology have been lined up to underpin traffic safety systems in the U.S. (using DSRC) and Europe (under the auspices of the Intelligent Traffic Systems initiative) for some time,” the organization added. “More recently however, it has become clear that Cellular-V2X systems using 3GPP-based LTE and 5G have a lot more to offer, and proponents argue it is better placed than 802.11p to meet the communications needs of V2X systems.”
In related news, the GSMA and the 5G Automotive Association (5GAA) signed a three-year cooperation agreement earlier this month.
Under the terms of the agreement, both associations will work across industries to focus on privacy/security, common standards and target the 5.9GHz spectrum band specifically for the internet of vehicles.
Both organizations support cellular-based solutions – both direct and network-based V2X communications — to connect vehicles to each other, road users, roadside infrastructure and cloud-based services.
“Together we can find faster, smarter and cheaper solutions to the challenges of connected driving,” said Afke Schaart, VP and head of Europe for the GSMA. “These solutions will reduce fatalities on the road and emissions in the air.”
“C-V2X technology is set to revolutionize the mobility ecosystem and the way vehicles and drivers interact with the world, including vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists,” said Maxime Flament, Chief Technology Officer of 5GAA. “It is an essential stepping stone for the ongoing digitisation of transportation by providing real-time, highly reliable, and actionable information flows to enable road safety, traffic efficiency and environmental progress.”
