Nokia & SoftBank complete ‘world-first’ 5G connected car test

Non-standalone 5G uses existing LTE radio and packet core infrastructure as a basis, with 5G-NR radio layers on top. This allows for connectivity between LTE and 5G radios.

SoftBank installed non-standalone 5G networks, suited to connected vehicle testing, at a Honda Research and Development site in Kamikawa-gun, Hokkaido, Japan. The installation uses equipment from Nokia’s end-to-end 5G portfolio.

As part of the trials, SoftBank tested four use cases, including the transmission of location information of surrounding vehicles at intersections with poor visibility, the identification and notification processes for falling objects on the road as well as the transmission and secondary use of high-quality 4K video and images taken from the in-vehicle cameras.

John Harrington, Head of Nokia Japan, commented, “These trials demonstrate that 5G technology can be successfully, safely and efficiently utilised in the connected car market. We look forward to further develop research in this exciting space and bring 5G-connected mobility solutions to the roads.”