Verizon and Honda Partner for 5G-Powered Vehicle Safety

Honda and Verizon Collaborate on 5G-Enhanced Vehicle Safety

Honda and Verizon are jointly investigating the potential of 5G technology and mobile edge computing (MEC) to elevate the safety standards of both current connected vehicles and the autonomous vehicles of the future.

Pilot Programs at Mcity

The companies announced their partnership on Thursday and are currently conducting pilot programs at the University of Michigan’s Mcity, a dedicated facility for testing connected and autonomous vehicle technologies.

The core objective of this collaboration is to assess how the combination of 5G connectivity and edge computing can facilitate quicker and more reliable communication between vehicles, pedestrians, and surrounding infrastructure.

Improved communication speeds could enable vehicles to proactively avoid potential collisions, navigate hazards more effectively, and identify safer routes.

[Disclosure: TechCrunch is owned by Verizon Media, which is itself owned by Verizon.]

Early Research Phase

Currently, the 5G testing is in its initial research stages, and Honda does not have immediate plans to integrate this technology as a standard vehicle feature.

However, Verizon intends to conduct real-world trials of 5G-enabled vehicles on public roads in at least four cities throughout the current year, as stated by Brian Peebles, Verizon’s senior manager of technology development and a key figure in the project.

Building on Existing Technology

This partnership leverages Honda’s existing SAFE SWARM AI technology, which the automaker began developing in 2017.

This technology utilizes Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything (C-V2X) communication, enabling vehicles to exchange information with other road users.

Network-Based Threat Assessment

“Traditionally, with V2X, the cars talk to each other,” explained Dr. Ehsan Moradi Pari, research group lead at Honda’s advanced technology research division.

“They share data like location, speed, and sensor readings, and each car independently assesses potential threats, such as the risk of a collision.

“However, this 5G and MEC technology allows all vehicles to contribute their information to a central network, which then provides each vehicle with an assessment of potential hazards.”

Faster Processing with Edge Computing

The premise is that a centralized network can process communication data much faster than an individual vehicle’s onboard computer.

Information from connected vehicles, pedestrians, and infrastructure is transmitted to the 5G network, where computations are performed at the network’s edge – avoiding the latency of cloud-based processing.

Predictive Safety Capabilities

A vehicle equipped with traditional sensors and software can react to immediate dangers, such as applying the brakes to avoid an obstacle.

However, MEC can offer a more proactive approach by analyzing data from a wider area and anticipating potential hazards further down the road.

Safety Scenario Testing

Verizon and Honda have tested a scenario involving a driver running a red light.

Using data from smart cameras, MEC, and V2X software, they successfully detected the violation and sent a visual warning to approaching vehicles.

Similar tests were conducted to alert drivers about pedestrians obscured from view and approaching emergency vehicles whose sirens were masked by vehicle noise.

The Future of Automated Driving

“Ensuring real-time communication among all road users will play a critical role in an automated driving environment,” Pari stated.

“Through these connected safety technologies, we can develop vehicle systems that detect potential dangerous situations in real time to warn the driver or automated system.”

While the initial focus is on enhancing the safety of human-driven vehicles, this partnership could pave the way for the integration of 5G into future autonomous vehicles.

Successful testing could lead to safer connected vehicles, improved traffic flow, and reduced air pollution.

Prioritizing Safety

“We’re primarily doing this to promote vehicle safety and human safety,” Peebles emphasized.

“Over 42,000 people are killed in automobile accidents annually in the United States, with another two million injured.

“As we transition towards a future with more automated vehicles, technology will be crucial in ensuring a safe and coordinated evolution.”

Current Autonomous Vehicle Technology

It’s important to note that autonomous vehicles currently undergoing testing on public roads do not necessarily require 5G or edge computing.

While autonomous vehicle companies are exploring the potential benefits of 5G, their current development efforts are based on existing technologies.

Challenges and Infrastructure Requirements

There are challenges to widespread adoption of this 5G-MEC combination.

Full interconnectivity requires a comprehensive network of sensors deployed across highways and intersections.

While 5G-enabled vehicles can communicate with each other, communication with pedestrians or infrastructure relies on smart cameras capturing and sharing data with the network.

Furthermore, sensors are not infallible.

Implementing this infrastructure would necessitate significant investment and widespread public acceptance and cooperation from state and local governments.

China as a Potential Model

China’s national policy of rapid 5G network deployment offers a potential model for this type of infrastructure development.

Many Chinese autonomous driving companies are finding this level of connectivity and computational power essential for their research and development efforts.