5GAA, Audi, Ford and Qualcomm Showcase C-V2X Direct Communications Interoperability to Improve Road Safety

PR73293

WASHINGTON, D.C., April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

C-V2X Communications' Superior Performance, Synergies with Telematics Units and

Evolutionary Path Towards 5G Offers Greater Potential to Save Lives; World's

First Showcase Across Vehicle Manufacturers Shows Readiness for Industry

Deployment as Early as 2020

5G Automotive Association (5GAA), Audi AG (NASDAQ: AUDVF), Ford Motor Company

(NYSE: F) and Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm

Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM), announced today the world's first demonstration

for Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything (C-V2X) direct communications technology

operating across vehicles from different manufacturers. C-V2X is a global

solution for V2X communications to support improved automotive safety,

automated driving, and traffic efficiency, and is the only V2X technology based

on globally recognized 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) specifications

with ongoing evolution designed to offer forward compatibility with 5G, and

leveraging upper layer protocols defined by the automotive industry, including

Society of Automotive Engineering (SAE) and the European Telecommunications

Standards Institute (ETSI) organizations. The demonstration showcased the

benefits of using C-V2X real-time direct communications on the globally

harmonized 5.9 GHz ITS spectrum for vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) collision

avoidance and improved road safety without any dependency on cellular operator

network involvement, credentials or coverage. The organizations also unveiled

initial field test results showing a significant range, reliability and

performance advantage of C-V2X direct communications, with more than twice the

range and improved reliability compared to 802.11p radio technology. Based on

C-V2X's potential to enhance safety and save lives, the 5GAA, Audi, Ford and

Qualcomm Technologies encourage the broad automotive ecosystem to accelerate

adoption of C-V2X, which is expected to be deployed as early as 2020.

Featuring Audi and Ford vehicles which incorporate the C-V2X technology

utilizing the C-V2X chipset from Qualcomm Technologies, the showcase exhibited

various scenarios of how C-V2X communications is beneficial for road safety.  

These scenarios included situations with obstructed or no visibility, including

Left Turn Assist and Emergency Electronic Brake Light use cases, in which

vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communications alerted surrounding vehicles when cars

were turning left or braking.  Additional use cases were featured, including a

vulnerable road user (VRU) demonstration showcasing what can be possible with

future vehicle-to-pedestrian (V2P) communications. Use cases for

vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication were also demonstrated, which

showcased how direct communications can work closely with traffic signal

controllers to ensure reduction in carbon emissions and optimization of traffic

efficiency in cluttered intersections and dense environments.

C-V2X is supported by a broad automotive ecosystem, that includes the

fast-growing global organization 5GAA, which currently has over 80 members

comprised of leading automakers, Tier-1 suppliers, software developers, mobile

operators, semiconductor companies, test equipment vendors, telecom suppliers,

traffic signal suppliers and road operators.  

Designed with a focus on security, C-V2X benefits from established security

transport layers and application protocols defined by the automotive standards

communities, including SAE, ETSI, International Standards Organization (ISO),

and Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 1609, and

Qualcomm's decades of investment in cellular technologies. C-V2X solutions are

expected to be more cost efficient and economical over competing technologies

as this functionality gets integrated into the base cellular modem product that

automakers equip in every vehicle.

"We are excited to witness this monumental breakthrough in the evolution of

C-V2X and the growing momentum behind this life-saving technology," said

Christoph Voigt, Chairman of 5GAA.  "After years of development supported by

leading carmakers, technology providers and the automotive ecosystem at large,

C-V2X is ready to improve road safety with deployment in production vehicles

and road infrastructure as soon as 2020, leveraging a state-of-the-art proven

radio with decade-long developed automotive software protocols. This unique

showcase firstly demonstrates the commitment of our members to ensure that the

potential of the C-V2X technology is realized and represents a key step towards

the next generation of cellular technology, 5G."  

"C-V2X is critical to enhance road safety and also gives us a look into the key

role that vehicle-to-vehicle and 5G wireless technologies play in the future of

Audi and the automotive industry in general to support autonomous driving,"

said Gerhard Stanzl, Head of Predevelopment Smart Mobility and Machine

Learning, Audi Electronics Venture. "This interoperability demonstration marks

a major milestone on the road to safer driving and we look forward to working

alongside the extensive automotive ecosystem in helping accelerate C-V2X

deployment globally."

"With its ability to safely and securely connect vehicles, along with its

evolution into 5G, C-V2X is integral to Ford's vision for transportation and

the cities of the future in which all cars and infrastructure collaborate

speaking the same language," said Don Butler, Executive director connected

vehicle platform and product, Ford Motor Company. "We are very encouraged by

preliminary test results which support our belief that C-V2X has superior V2X

communication capabilities. We are also very pleased to see strong ecosystem

support of product roadmaps that accelerates time to market for C-V2X."

"At Qualcomm Technologies, we are committed to accelerating automotive

innovation and enabling carmakers to deliver safe and connected vehicles, and

we strongly believe that C-V2X can offer significant improvements in road

safety for people worldwide," said Nakul Duggal, vice president of product

management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. "After years spearheading the

development of C-V2X we are ready for its rollout in collaboration with leading

automakers such as Audi and Ford, and the larger auto industry."

5GAA, Audi, Ford and Qualcomm Technologies are scheduled to showcase another

live C-V2X interoperability demonstration at the upcoming Intelligent

Transportation Society of America (ITS-A) World Meeting in Detroit from June

4-7. Initial test results showing significant lifesaving benefits of C-V2X

direct communications compared against the 802.11p solution can be found here [

https://www.qualcomm.com/documents/5gaa-case-c-v2x ]. For more information on

C-V2X please visit here [ http://5gaa.org/5g-technology/c-v2x/].

About 5GAA

The 5G Automotive Association (5GAA) is a global cross-industry organization of

companies from the automotive, technology and telecommunications industries

(ICT), working together to develop end-to-end solutions for future mobility and

transportation services. Created in 2016, the Association is comprised of over

80 members whose mission is to develop, test and promote communications

solutions, initiate their standardization and accelerate their commercial

availability and global market penetration, to address society's connected

mobility and road safety needs with applications such as automated driving,

ubiquitous access to services and integration into smart city and intelligent

transportation. For more information, visit 5GAA's website [ http://5gaa.org/ ]

, LinkedIn [

https://www.linkedin.com/company/5gaa/https:/www.linkedin.com/company/5gaa/ ]

and Twitter [ https://twitter.com/5gaa_official ]pages.

About Audi

The Audi Group, with its brands Audi, Ducati and Lamborghini, is one of the

most successful manufacturers of automobiles and motorcycles in the premium

segment. It is present in more than 100 markets worldwide and produces at 16

locations in twelve countries. 100 percent subsidiaries of AUDI AG include Audi

Sport GmbH (Neckarsulm), Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. (Sant'Agata Bolognese,

Italy) and Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. (Bologna, Italy).

In 2017, the Audi Group delivered to customers about 1.878 million automobiles

of the Audi brand, 3,815 sports cars of the Lamborghini brand and 55,900

motorcycles of the Ducati brand. In the 2017 fiscal year, AUDI AG achieved

total revenue of €60.1 billion and an operating profit of €5.1 billion. At

present, approximately 90,000 people work for the company all over the world,

more than 60,000 of them in Germany. Audi focuses on sustainable products and

technologies for the future of mobility.

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan. The company

designs, manufactures, markets and services a full line of Ford cars, trucks,

SUVs, electrified vehicles and Lincoln luxury vehicles, provides financial

services through Ford Motor Credit Company and is pursuing leadership positions

in electrification, autonomous vehicles and mobility solutions. Ford employs

approximately 202,000 people worldwide. For more information regarding Ford,

its products and Ford Motor Credit Company, please visit

http://www.corporate.ford.com.

About Qualcomm

Qualcomm invents breakthrough technologies that transform how the world

connects and communicates. When we connected the phone to the Internet, the

mobile revolution was born. Today, our inventions are the foundation for

life-changing products, experiences, and industries. As we lead the world to

5G, we envision this next big change in cellular technology spurring a new era

of intelligent, connected devices and enabling new opportunities in connected

cars, remote delivery of health care services, and the IoT - including smart

cities, smart homes, and wearables. Qualcomm Incorporated includes our

licensing business, QTL, and the vast majority of our patent portfolio.

Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, operates,

along with its subsidiaries, all of our engineering, research and development

functions, and all of our products and services businesses, including, the QCT

semiconductor business. For more information, visit Qualcomm's website [

http://www.qualcomm.com/ ], OnQ blog [ https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq ],

Twitter [ http://www.twitter.com/qualcomm ] and Facebook [

http://www.facebook.com/qualcomm  ] pages.

Contacts

Lisa Boch-Andersen

Senior Director, Strategic Communication and Marketing, 5GAA

Email: lisa.boch-andersen@5GAA.org / Mobile phone: +32-(0)-475450972

SOURCE: 5GAA - 5G Automotive Association e.V.