Ford, Qualcomm, Panasonic Partner on C-V2X Launch

Auto manufacturer Ford, chipmaker Qualcomm and electronics giant Panasonic are planning to test the deployment of their Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything (C-V2X) direct communications platform in Colorado later this year.

The partnership is an extension of a previously announced deal between Colorado’s Department of Transportation (CDOT) and Panasonic to integrate connected vehicle technology in the Centennial State.

The technology will be tested this summer on select roadways throughout Panasonic’s CityNow headquarters in Denver, followed by deployment in select areas along the I-70 Mountain Corridor later in the year.

The tests are designed to showcase the benefits of using C-V2X real-time direct communications on the globally harmonized 5.9 GHz ITS spectrum for vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) collision avoidance and improved road safety.

The platform offers several security transport layers and application protocols defined by the automotive standards communities, including the International Standards Organization (ISO), the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 1609, and the 5G Automotive Association (5GAA).

In addition, C-V2X is designed to complement other advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) sensors, such as cameras, radar and Lidar.

Panasonic will work with Kapsch TrafficCom in the DOT’s V2X development program, with TrafficCom providing roadside units and C-V2X onboard units.

The DOT’s existing fleet of Ford utility vehicles will be equipped with C-V2X devices running Ficosa’s CarCom platform to enable V2V and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communications.

Panasonic’s connected vehicle data platform will collect and distribute C-V2X data to roadway operators for improved awareness, and the platform also has the ability to send safety critical information directly to vehicles.

Global C-V2X field validations with car manufacturers, automotive ecosystem participants and in cooperation with regional governments are already underway in Germany, France, South Korea, China, Japan and the US, with industry deployment expected to take place as early as 2020.

“Cross-industry collaboration is essential for C-V2X to reach its full potential and fully integrate into cities around the world,” Nakul Duggal, Qualcomm’s vice president of product management, wrote in the June 1 announcement.

In April, Qualcomm, Audi, Ford and the 5GAA came together to demonstrate the C-V2X direct communications platform.

Featuring Audi and Ford vehicles incorporating the C-V2X technology utilizing a chipset from Qualcomm, the demo put the cars through a series of tests, including situations with obstructed or no visibility.

The tests were designed to showcase the benefits of using C-V2X real-time direct communications on the globally harmonized 5.9GHz ITS spectrum for vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) collision avoidance and improved road safety.

Qualcomm, which already makes 802.11p chips, is promoting C-V2X as a technology for communication between cars — on those dedicated frequencies — and links to cellular networks.

The 5GAA, which includes Audi, BMW, Daimler and the biggest cell network suppliers, plus Qualcomm and Intel, is also pushing for this approach.