5G might enable wireless ‘force fields’ around pedestrians
What if a network of connected devices and vehicles enabled a wireless “force field” around bikes and pedestrians that protects them from crashes? That might sound like something out of a sci-fi book. However, it’s actually what Ford and Qualcomm envision for the future.
Thanks to 5G, connecting devices to each other will be easier than ever. Moreover, 5G is one of the first generations of wireless technology that is being pursued by the auto industry. Combining the two could be a recipe for ensuring the safety of individuals out on the road.
Cellular Vehicle to Everything
Also known as C-V2X, Cellular Vehicle to Everything is a technology that allows cars to connect and communicate with their environment. Dean Brenner, senior vice president of Spectrum Strategy & Technology Policy at Qualcomm says, “If there’s a traffic alert 15 miles ahead, I’d like to know that, but I don’t need to know it with the highest degree of urgency.”
Brenner adds, “There are other applications where it really will save lives if cars can communicate directly and immediately and that’s what this technology does.”
So, why hasn’t something like C-V2X come around until now? That’s a fairly simple answer. The technology just hasn’t been ready. 5G’s emergence changes everything.
Cars will soon be able to communicate almost instantaneously with everything around them. That includes other vehicles as well as “vulnerable road users” like bikers, pedestrians, and scooter riders.
John Kwant, global director of government relations, mobility, and advanced technologies at Ford notes, “We’ve done demos where we’ve shown the ability for a pedestrian to signal that they want to cross [the street] and the car acknowledges them and that it will stop.”
That sort of revolutionary communication would greatly improve upon systems that are currently in place. It’s also important for the future of self-driving cars since it can take place immediately without confirmation and acknowledgment between all parties.
In other words, if an autonomous car detects a pedestrian wanting to cross the road, it will automatically yield to them. Likewise, a biker who veers out of their lane would trigger a self-driving car to stop with far less delay.
What Happens Next?
In the United States, the use of 5G in cars has solid favor from regulators. The same can’t be said for EU lawmakers, who have taken a more ambivalent stance while waiting for a variant of Wi-Fi, called 802.11p to take the lead.
That will be an important development to keep an eye on. Obviously, carmakers like to keep things standard. Having to build frameworks for both technologies could throw a wrench in things.
Regardless, this idea of shielding vulnerable road users from crashes is interesting. It’s another example of what 5G can do once it is fully unleashed. The speedy wireless network is about more than fast smartphone downloads. Innovative uses like this are what 5G is designed for.
In the coming years, it will be interesting to see how automakers adapt and upgrade their systems.
Originally published at https://www.theburnin.com on June 12, 2020.
