MWC: Telefónica demonstrates remote driving with Ericsson 5G partnership
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MWC: Telefónica demonstrates remote driving with Ericsson 5G partnership

Telefónica has partnered with Ericsson to demonstrate remote driving technology over 5G connectivity at this year’s Mobile World Congress.

The proof of concept uses Telefónica’s trial 5G network to allow a driver sat on the Spanish operator’s stand at MWC in Barcelona, take control of a KTH prototype car at race track in Tarragona 70km away.

The test aims to demonstrate the low latencies on offer over Telefónica’s 5G network, even over a long distance, using 100G fibre backhaul. Telefónica CTO Enrique Blanco told GTB that latencies on the test were as low as 2ms but could reach much lower.

The demo is supported by 15GHz spectrum, with ultra-narrow beams which follow the car continuously from the 5G base station.

Blanco added: "5G technology provides the next level of customer experience, as well as the ability to deliver services faster, more flexibly and customised for specific applications. Beyond new radio capabilities, we try to show the new paradigms in network architectures. 

“It is the networks that adapt to the needs of our customers, based on virtualised structures. The 5G demo we bring to this year’s MWC along with our partners goes beyond excellent connectivity and anticipates new possibilities that will provide characteristics of 5G going forward.”

José Antonio López, head of Ericsson in Iberia, says: “Partnerships will be key for the success of 5G. Ericsson has launched world’s first 5G platform and we have signed 5G collaboration agreements with 30 operators, 20 industry partners and 45 universities and institutes around the world. We are glad to partner with Telefónica to, once again, be ahead of the game and bring an end to end 5G Experience to MWC 2017.”

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