Vodafone joins Midlands Future Mobility to trial 5G connected roads and automated vehicles

Credits: Shutterstock

Vodafone UK has partnered with autonomous vehicle consortium, Midlands Future Mobility, to deploy 5G on key test routes in the West Midlands.

Over 300 miles of West Midlands’ roads are set to trial 5G-connected roads and autonomous vehicles with the aim of making UK roads safer and shortening journey times.

The Midlands Future Mobility route is the largest real-world Connected and Automated Mobility (CAM) testbed in the UK. The route encompasses major city centres, including Coventry and Birmingham, as well as key transport links such as HS2 and Birmingham International Airport.

John Fox, Programme Director of Midlands Future Mobility, said: “It’s increasingly clear that 5G has a huge role to play in Connected and Automated Mobility.

“Bringing 5G to a much larger area than first planned, with a leading mobile operator in Vodafone, means Midlands Future Mobility will reach and remain at the forefront of 5G development in the UK for years to come.”

The wide range of route types includes urban, rural and highways roads. This means that different technologies can be trialled, such as Low Speed ‘shared space’ vehicles, Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and autonomous vehicle technologies.

Vodafone’s 5G network will strengthen the capabilities of Midlands Future Mobility’s testbed, and will also make it one of the most connected environments in the country with 80% of it supported by Vodafone’s network.

Anne Sheehan, Business Director, Vodafone UK, said: “5G will help revolutionise transport on our roads. The ultra-reliability and high bandwidth of 5G will enable new progress for connected and autonomous vehicles, and we are delighted to bring our state-of-the-art 5G network to the Midlands Future Mobility project.”