Denso and KDDI begin testing 5G networks for autonomous vehicles

Denso and KDDI have begun researching 5G’s use in automated driving to achieve “safe and secure mobility, free from traffic accidents and congestion”, say the companies.

In the verification project, Denso and KDDI will build a 5G environment in a test course at Global R&D Tokyo, Haneda, a research and development center for automated driving operated by Denso.

The two companies will verify driver assistance technologies in automated driving vehicles using high-definition in-vehicle cameras and roadside sensors.

Denso is a spinoff from Toyota, the auto giant which is also KDDI’s parent company.

In the verification project, Denso and KDDI will verify systems for efficiently monitoring the vehicle and the situation around it by using high-definition images from high-definition in-vehicle cameras and roadside sensors based on 5G high-speed, large-capacity communication.

The companies will leverage low latency connections, which are achieved through edge computing technology for 5G, including AWS Wavelength2, to build a system for distributing the ever-changing road situation to automated driving vehicles in real time and to verify the remote driver assistance technology.

Denso and KDDI plan to conduct verification using end-to-end network slicing. This advanced technology provides unique communication environment preferences, depending on the application and requirements, by virtually partitioning a network.

The technology is expected to be used in fields such as automated driving where various types of data must be communicated depending on the priority. The two companies will study various applications.

More broadly, the verification project aims to promote the use of 5G in automated driving by combining Denso’s know-how in developing in-vehicle communication technologies and KDDI’s expertise in advanced network technologies, helping achieve safe and secure mobility for all customers.