Volvo Switches 5G Networks Successfully on the Road
Can a connected vehicle move seamlessly from one network to another?
A recent test completed in Europe, a region with multiple borders and networks, showed that it is possible.
Ericsson and automaker Volvo Cars reported a successful test handover of connected cars between two mobile 5G networks in different countries.
The test took place at the AstaZero test track in Sweden, proving that seamless continuity on 5G networks when driving across borders is possible.
Funded by the E.U., the AstaZero test track is a major initiative preparing for larger-scale connected car trials along a 5G corridor connecting Metz in France, Merzig in Germany and Luxembourg.
Ericsson deployed a 5G mobile radio network at the Swedish test track while two Volvo cars received an HD map of the route ahead. 5G connectivity kept the maps continuously updated with the latest real-time information to aid future autonomous driving operations.
For its part, Volvo Cars provided an HD map application that captured information about the boundaries of straight and turning lanes, providing critical information to the cars.
“Sharing an updated map with other cars is a latency-sensitive task and requires high network performance within and across multiple networks,” said Mikael Prytz, research director of Ericsson Area Networks.
“During the test at the AstaZero track, we could tackle this challenge with promising results. We are excited to continue our cooperation with Volvo Cars to expand the network mobility of autonomous and connected cars.”
Ericsson and Volvo have been working together since 2012, when the car manufacturer first selected the vendor’s Connected Vehicle Cloud.
The two companies also partnered with Finnish company Telia in 2019 to establish Sweden’s first 5G network for industrial use at Volvo CE’s research facility.
Image credit: iStockphoto/y_carfan
