5G-Enabled Autonomous Driving Demonstration with a V2X Scenario-in-the-Loop Approach

Area of Science:

• Automotive Engineering
• Telecommunications Technology
• Intelligent Transportation Systems

Background:

• Autonomous vehicles (AVs) require advanced communication for real-time data exchange to ensure safe and efficient operation.
• Existing wireless technologies face challenges in meeting the low-latency and high-bandwidth demands of AVs and their connected ecosystems.
• Digital Twins offer a supplementary data source for AV decision-making, necessitating robust communication infrastructure.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate and evaluate the feasibility of fifth-generation (5G) cellular technology for vehicular communication in real-world scenarios.
• To assess the performance of 5G Non-Standalone Architecture in supporting low-latency and high-bandwidth data exchange for AVs.
• To identify current latency and throughput limitations of 5G for connected and autonomous vehicle applications.

Main Methods:

• Conducted real-life demonstrations on the M86 highway and ZalaZONE proving ground, Hungary.
• Utilized the Scenario-in-the-Loop (SciL) methodology, integrating physical vehicle data with simulated Digital Twin environments.
• Measured communication performance, focusing on latency and throughput for sensor and control information exchange.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated successful exchange of sensor and control information between vehicles, their environment, and Digital Twins using 5G.
• Gathered real-world performance data on latency and throughput under various 5G communication scenarios.
• Provided insights into the practical capabilities and limitations of 5G Non-Standalone Architecture for AVs.

Conclusions:

• 5G technology shows promise for supporting the demanding communication needs of autonomous vehicles.
• Real-world testing is crucial for understanding and overcoming the current latency and throughput constraints of 5G in AV applications.
• The integration of Digital Twins with 5G communication enhances the decision-making capabilities of autonomous vehicles.