China Mobile to trial 5G smart expressway in Hubei province

A report by %$Linker: 2 External <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary /> 0 0 0 link-external Ecns.com false http://www.ecns.cn/news/cns-wire/2019-02-13/detail-ifzeratr8867732.shtml false false%> says the company’s Hubei subsidiary is taking steps to choose sites for 5G stations, test intelligent tolling systems and prepare for trials involving driverless cars.

China Mobile’s Hubei branch is working with the group’s tech subsidiary in Shanghai and with Hubei Provincial Communications Investment to investigate how ultrafast 5G mobile broadband and Internet of Things (IoT) can develop transportation.

They will carry out tests using intelligent and connected vehicles on the expressway as well as designing and researching transportation products based on 5G.

The joint venture is expecting IoT, big data and artificial intelligence to provide an accurate understanding of the vehicles and traffic on each section of the road.

China Mobile Hubei intends to invest ¥1 billion (£114m) this year to complete the construction of 2,000 5G stations.

This chimes with the mood at %$Linker: 2 External <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary /> 0 0 0 link-external CES 2019 false http://www.itsinternational.com/sections/events/news/smart-communities-require-5g-says-samsung-electronics-america/ false false%> in Las Vegas last month, when John Godfrey, senior vice president, public policy, at Samsung Electronics America said that communities have a role to play in partnering with the private sector in using 5G.

“A way to improve to improve the safety of streets in a smart community is to allow 5G enabled sensors along the roadways for traffic management, and connected vehicles which are sharing information with each other and with the road system through cellular spectrum,” Godfrey added.