Vertical: Transportation
Application: AI, C-V2X
Ecosystem: NEC, VTTI
Private Network: CBRS-based 5G
NEC and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) combined private 5G, using CBRS, and artificial intelligence to create a roadway warning system that will identify dangerous traffic conditions and hazards, such as the approach of pedestrians or animals, and provide warnings to drivers. The system was tested from January to March 2023 in Blacksburg, Virginia on the Virginia Smart Roads. As part of the tests, cameras transmitted high-definition traffic images via private 5G, enabling real-time analysis of the images using AI.
Masahiko Mack Nakagawa, Vice President of Corporate Business Development Division, NEC, said, “This solution combines private 5G and state-of-the-art AI-based video analytics with C-V2X technology to create social value that contributes to safety and security for vehicles and pedestrians in the vicinity of intersections.”
These tests are expected to be used to develop additional technologies that contribute to the reduction of traffic accidents and traffic congestion. “The concept of infrastructure-cooperative mobility requires highly reliable, low-latency communications via a dedicated network to predict or detect incidents near intersections,” said Mike Mollenhauer, Director of the Division of Technology Implementation at VTTI.
NEC will continue to conduct verification tests to develop best practices in effectively using private 5G for traffic safety across various frequency bands, technical specifications, and other conditions internationally.
This use case is another proof point of the growing adoption of private 5G across different applications and sectors including smart cities. Private networks in smart cities offer several advantages over public networks, such as greater reliability and security, better network infrastructure control, more data usage flexibility, higher bandwidth for high-performance applications, programmability, modularity, and customization. The roadway warning system by NEC and VTTI is yet another smart city application making a compelling case for private networks.
