Marking the first time, the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) and members of the 5G Automotive Association (5GAA) have partnerd to showcase the complementarity of Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything (C-V2X) direct and mobile network communications at the Federal Highway Administration’s Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center.
The live demonstrations illustrated the potential of connected vehicle technologies to make American roads safer and more efficient. This public-private initiative also outlined the benefits of interworking communication modes for a unified transportation system.
“5GAA commends USDOT for its leadership in advancing V2X technology through government-industry collaboration, critical for nationwide deployment,” said Christopher Voigt. Chairman, 5GAA. “We applaud USDOT’s commitment to seizing the full safety potential of V2X by integrating direct and mobile network communications to achieve 360° awareness.”
Participants had the chance to experience several use cases:
- Autotalks illustrated how C-V2X direct communications can prevent same-lane accidents: in their demo, a car swerved abruptly to avoid a stopped bicycle, demonstrating the system’s potential to protect cyclists outside intersections
- Verizon showcased near real-time alerts enabled by C-V2X mobile network communications and mobile Edge computing (MEC). Demonstrated capabilities included connected signalised intersection and delivery of pedestrian alerts, variable speed warnings, and weather warnings
- Audi, in collaboration with Spoke and the Coalition for Cyclist Safety, used C-V2X direct communications to address safety scenarios that often result in cyclist fatalities. The seamless integration of aftermarket solutions and in-vehicle systems is a clear example of leading automakers’ increasing interest in this technology
5GAA also gathered industry and government leaders to identify main drivers for deployment, including the reauthorisation of federal transportation funding. The event underpinned the critical role of C-V2X in achieving USDOT’s National Roadway Safety Strategy targets, as well as the industry’s commitment to help implement the National V2X Deployment Plan released in August 2024.
The foundation has been laid to leverage the existing tens of millions of connected road users and accelerate the nationwide rollout of connected vehicle and connected road infrastructure technologies.
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