5G network to improve road safety

The next-generation mobile network and fast data transmission solutions can be used to collect a huge amount of data on vehicles on the road.

The information can be used, for example, to provide road weather services, carry out road maintenance and control self-driving cars. Ultimately the aim is to reduce accidents, said a press release issued by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland.

VTT's 5G-Safe project explores the possibilities of using the 5G mobile network to improve road safety in collaboration with partners such as the Finnish Meteorological Institute, Destia and Unikie. The project is part of the Challenge Finland competition and financed by Business Finland.

Thanks to the fast 5G network and new data transmission solutions, vast amounts of sensor, video and radar data can be collected from vehicles. The information can also be transmitted in almost real time.

"The data can be collected automatically without the drivers needing to do anything themselves. The required technology can be installed at the factory", said Senior Scientist Tiia Ojanperä from VTT, adding, "the data can also be processed and warnings sent to other road users by means of automated systems."

Local road weather services are one of the key applications for the collected data. In the future, real-time weather information and warnings can be sent directly to drivers' satellite navigation devices, for example.

"The new solutions give drivers access to highly localised data, such as warnings about icy conditions around the corner. Drivers can use the information to choose a different route or change the way they drive."

Some automated weather warnings can also be transmitted via the 4G mobile network, and solutions are being introduced gradually. However, transmitting real-time video footage or 3D views between vehicles requires considerably more network capacity. The fast 5G network has the required capacity.

"One way to use vehicle videos and 3D views is a see-through application piloted as part of our project. It can be used, for example, to share the dashboard camera footage of a lorry holding up a long queue of cars with the drivers stuck behind the lorry. This increases safety especially in poor weather conditions such as when visibility is obstructed by drifting snow", Ojanperä said.

5G technology helps human drivers behind the wheel, but its impact on self-driving cars could be even more revolutionary. Real-time data can be used to better control self-driving cars and change their behaviour on the basis of observations. VTT's self-driving car Martti has already trialled these possibilities in respect of, for example, detecting icy conditions and obstacles on the road in advance.