5G-CARMEN - Cooperative Manoeuvring in cross-border scenarios

5G Context

Growing urbanisation, environmental issues and safety are among the drastic changes taking place in European mobility in an increasingly always-connected, automated and intelligent digital world. It is in this context that the European Union is pushing for large-scale collaborative cross-border validation activities on cooperative, connected and automated mobility. 

Cooperation between drivers is key for ensuring safe and efficient navigation through intersections, lane changing, overtaking, entering and exiting highways. Cooperation is currently based on visual communication via braking lights, indicator lights or hand gestures. However, the information conveyed in this way is limited and often cannot be exchanged at an optimal point in time. 

Herein lies the value of 5G through its ability to exchange speeds, positions, intended trajectories or manoeuvres, and other helpful data between vehicles. In the case of automated operation, onboard systems can use this information to derive an optimised driving strategy or a recommended course of action for a human driver to follow for the active optimisation of traffic flow and avoidance of dangerous situations. 

5G technology enablers: 5G New Radio (NR); C-V2X interfaces; Multi-access edge computing; (readiness for) end-to-end network slicing; highly accurate positioning and timing; predictive quality of service. 

Overview of Trials

Cooperation between vehicles is a key aspect in ensuring safe and efficient navigation through intersections, lane changing, overtaking, entering and exiting highways. Nowadays, cooperation is based on visual communication via braking, lights, indicator lights, and hand gestures. However, the information conveyed is limited and cannot be exchanged at an optimal point in time. The 5G differentiator is enabling the exchange of speeds, positions, intended trajectories or manoeuvres, and other useful data between vehicles. Onboard systems can use this information to drive, in the case of automated operation, an optimised driving strategy or a recommended course of action for a human driver to follow. This actively optimises the traffic flow and avoids dangerous situations. A key benefit of cooperative lane changing on a highway is ensuring a smooth transition.

Cooperative lane merging can be realised in a decentralised or centralised manner. Decentralised lane merging involves direct exchanges between vehicles. Centralised merging builds on a MEC (multi-access edge computing) server and a 5G network that support the vehicles' systems in determining the optimal behaviour to either execute or pass on to the driver as a recommendation. Both approaches are explored in 5G-CARMEN. 

Expected Impacts

The Society of Automotive Engineering (SAE) defines six levels of automation, with level 0 being no automation and level 5 full automation, that is, a vehicle without a steering wheel. 5G-CARMEN targets automation level 4 readiness.

Use cases are expected to bring societal impact by improving traffic safety while also enabling coordinated driving by improving environment perception and reducing emissions by aggregating heterogeneous information. 

From a commercial perspective, the use cases will help put automotive OEMs, telecom operators and road operators at the forefront of Safety and Driving Assistance Systems. Over-the-top service providers will be able to provide advanced information services to passengers in cars and coaches.

Trial Locations

Trials take place along the German-Austrian border (Kufstein) and the Austrian-Italian border (Brennero). These locations are part of a 600 km road corridor from Bologna to Munich, which connects the three European regions of Bavaria, Tirol and Trentino.

Trial Dates

07/2021 - 06/2022

5G-CARMEN website | @5g_carmen