SWARCO is showcasing connected vehicle-ready technology as part of a live Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything (C-V2X) demonstration with Qualcomm Technologies.
The demonstration, at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, showcases how direct C-V2X communications can enable essential data exchange between vehicles and traffic control infrastructure to support traffic flow optimisation, improve safety, and pave the way to automated driving.
The C-V2X demonstration features advanced transportation solutions designed and built by SWARCO’s United States subsidiary, McCain Inc. Real-time traffic data, including Signal Phase and Timing (SPaT), and traffic signal priority, will be provided to the connected vehicles via a Roadside Unit (RSU) featuring the Qualcomm® 9150 C-V2X chipset solution from Qualcomm Technologies. Such data is crucial in helping emerging connected and autonomous vehicles (CAV) safely navigate roadways. High-resolution data provided by McCain’s compact Backpack Cabinet (pictured), running Omni eX® Intersection Control Software on a FLeX® Controller, enable the vehicles to display a countdown timer indicating when the signal will change status and provide crucial safety alerts, including warning of a nearby pedestrian at a cross walk or approaching emergency vehicle, as well as enabling emergency vehicle pre-emption.
“In the light of increasingly connected vehicles, the communication between road infrastructure and vehicles has a lot of potential to improve road safety and make the travel experience more convenient and environmentally sound,” said Michael Schuch, SWARCO AG COO for Intelligent Transportation Systems. “We are proud to demonstrate together with Qualcomm Technologies that our integrated software solutions and roadside hardware are fit for the future scenarios of self-driving cars. In several European cities we have successfully demonstrated that we are able to give added value to the driving public with our Traffic Light Assistant and Traffic Light Forecast solutions.”
Using direct communication mode in 5.9 GHz ITS spectrum, C-V2X is designed to allow vehicles to directly communicate with other vehicles, vulnerable road users, and roadside infrastructure, such as traffic signs and construction zones, without the involvement of a cellular network or cellular network subscription. C-V2X has a clear evolution path to 5G and is designed to be backward and forward compatible with future releases of the technology. Synergistic with onboard Telematics already going into vehicles across Europe and around the world, C-V2X is aimed to be featured in production vehicles as early as 2019.
SWARCO and Qualcomm Technologies are also working together as part of the Connected Vehicle to Everything of Tomorrow (ConVeX) consortium as part of the Automated and Connected Driving Digital Test Fields in Germany. The cross-industry consortium includes leading automotive and telecom companies including Audi, Ericsson, and the University of Kaiserslautern.
