Qualcomm-Led Group to Test Cellular-V2X System in San Diego This Year

AT&T, Ford, Nokia and Qualcomm will begin cellular-V2X (C-V2X) trials in the U.S. later this year to test the potential of the platform for improved automotive safety, automated driving and traffic efficiency, said the companies Tuesday. C-V2X, designed to operate over the 5.9 GHz band without involvement of a cellular network or subscription, would enable vehicles to communicate directly with other vehicles, pedestrian devices and roadside infrastructure, such as traffic signs and construction zones, they said. The platform is complementary to other advanced driver assistance systems sensors, such as cameras, radar, and light detection and ranging (Lidar). It supports 360-degree non-line-of-sight awareness, extending a vehicle’s ability to sense the environment down the road, at blind intersections or in bad weather conditions, said Qualcomm. For the trial, C-V2X platforms will be installed in Ford vehicles using Qualcomm’s 9150 C-V2X communications solution and AT&T’s 4G LTE network communications and ITS platform using wireless base stations and multi-access edge computing technology from Nokia. Intelligent transportation solutions provider McCain will facilitate integration with existing and emerging traffic signal control infrastructure.