A project consortium led by the 5G Automotive Association (5GAA) has completed Europe’s first live demonstration of C-V2X (cellular vehicle-to-everything) direct communication technology operating across vehicles from multiple auto manufacturers.
Alongside the 5GAA, the project partners included the BMW Group, Ford, and Groupe PSA (Peugeot Citroen), in association with Qualcomm Technologies, and Savari, Inc. The live demonstration also featured a live showcase of C-V2X direct communication technology operating between passenger cars, motorcycles, and roadside infrastructure.
The demonstration exhibited the road safety and traffic efficiency benefits of using C-V2X for vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) collision avoidance, as well as vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) connectivity to traffic signals and Traffic Management Centers (TMC).
The C-V2X technology was operated using real-time direct communications over the ITS spectrum and demonstrated its ability to work without cellular network coverage, and underscores its commercial readiness for industry deployment as early as 2020.
Six demonstrations were shown including: Emergency Electronic Brake Light, Intersection Collision Warning, Across Traffic Turn Collision Risk Warning, Slow Vehicle Warning and Stationary Vehicle Warning, Signal Phase and Timing / Signal Violation Warning, and Vulnerable Road User (pedestrian) Warning.
The vehicles involved included two-wheel e-scooters provided by BMW, and passenger vehicles provided by Ford, PSA, and BMW, all of which were equipped with C-V2X direct communication technology using the Qualcomm 9150 C-V2X chipset solution. The V2X software stack and application software, along with roadside infrastructure, were provided by industry leader, Savari.
Superior performance and cost-effectiveness compared to other V2X technologies, along with forward compatibility with 5G, make C-V2X direct communications a preferred solution for C-ITS applications. C-V2X is globally supported by a broad automotive ecosystem, which includes the fast growing 5GAA organization that involves more than 85 members including many leading auto makers, Tier-1 suppliers, software developers, mobile operators, semiconductor companies, test equipment vendors, telecom suppliers, traffic signal suppliers and road operators.
Cellular modems will be key to the C-V2X deployment in vehicles to support telematics, eCall, connected infotainment, and delivering useful driving/traffic/parking information. As C-V2X direct communication functionality is integrated into the cellular modem, C-V2X solutions are expected to be more cost-efficient and economical over competing technologies, and benefit from accelerated attach rates. C-V2X direct communication field validations are currently underway in Germany, France, Korea, China, Japan, and the USA.
C-V2X includes two complementary transmission modes:
• Direct communication, as shown in this demonstration for V2V and V2I use cases;
• V2N network communication, which uses mobile operators for connectivity and delivers cloud-based services, including automated crash notification (ACN, as mandated by eCall), hazard warnings, weather conditions, green light optimal speed advisory (GLOSA), parking spot location, and remote tele-operation to support automated driving, and other services.
“This demonstration builds on the successful C-V2X showcase we organized with our members Audi, Ford and Qualcomm in Washington DC in April,” said Christoph Voigt, chairman of 5GAA.
“We are excited to witness the growing momentum behind this life-saving technology and to see our members working together to deploy C-V2X, and to make it hit the road as soon as possible.”
