Driving 5G innovation for urban public transport
Rapid urban growth is intensifying the demand for sustainable public transport solutions that can be scaled quickly. Urban ICT Arena, Keolis, Telia, Intel and Ericsson have demonstrated that 5G and control towers can facilitate the safe introduction of automated transport in complex and demanding urban areas.
As more and more people move into cities, 5G-connected and automated electric minibuses make a credible contribution to urban life, making our daily lives more efficient and more sustainable. In Stockholm, the capital of Sweden and the most populous urban area of Scandinavia, possible new solutions for the public transportation of the future have already been deployed and tested.
The initiative is led by the Swedish knowledge hub and testbed Urban ICT Arena in partnership with the public transport company Keolis, the service provider Telia, Intel and Ericsson. Together, we are deploying and testing 5G-connected and automated electric minibuses using remote monitoring via control towers. The initiative aims to demonstrate how 5G can better manage urban public transport in the future, enabling more efficient and more sustainable transport systems.
All aboard 5G Ride
The pilot project was launched on September 24, 2020 on the island of Royal Djurgården – one of the most popular green areas and tourist destinations in Stockholm. The 5G-connected and automated electric minibus 5G Ride successfully took short tours around the island at a maximum speed of 18 kilometers per hour with passengers on board. Initial testing lasted for approximately two weeks and has been followed by further trials. The continuation of the project develops the Connected Control Tower concept using a 5G connection to monitor and manage fleets of self-driving vehicles on public roads. The goal is to ensure safety and stability for solutions to be implemented in regular traffic.
Ericsson provided the technical solution for the 5G-connected control tower and Telia provided connectivity in collaboration with Ericsson. Intel delivered analytics and processing across the network and T-Engineering delivered the vehicle and self-driving technology.
Taking urban public transport to new places
5G-connected and automated vehicles are more flexible, cost efficient and environmentally friendly than existing options. They can complement other forms of urban public transport by providing first- and last-mile connections, as well as expanding existing networks in under-serviced areas. 5G-connected and automated electric vehicles also support the transition from private vehicles to shared-ride services.
As urban populations continue to grow, digitalization and new technologies will play increasingly crucial roles in making them more efficient and sustainable. 5G-connected and automated vehicles are powered by renewable energy and managed remotely to improve route planning and traffic flows, lower operational costs, reduce pollution levels, and offer urban dwellers a reliable service.
Facilitating the future of urban public transport
High data rates, low latency, and quality of service make 5G an essential component in the future of urban public transport. 5G enables near-instant reaction times for commands issued between the control tower and the vehicles.
Ericsson Cellular IoT RAN offers communications service providers a tool to explore a multitude of use cases ranging from 5G-connected and automated vehicles to asset tracking and smart metering. More advanced use cases include drones, AR/VR, and collaborative robotics.
