Driving the future of the automotive industry: A research partnership between Ericsson and Porsche is leveraging the power of 5G to accelerate production capabilities at Porsche’s manufacturing production complex in Leipzig, Germany. 

The trial project is the first deployment of a private 5G network at any of Porsche’s production complexes, heralding in a new remote production era for the high-performance car manufacturer.

Ericsson’s secure 5G standalone (SA) network operates over a private frequency spectrum, providing high-speed wireless connectivity, ultra-low latency and huge data-handling capabilities.

“As we transition to the factory of tomorrow, Porsche production is undergoing a comprehensive digital transformation. In the process, we are guided by our vision: smart, lean and green. 5G technology is one of the key elements laying the groundwork for our Smart Factory”, says Albrecht Reimold, Member of the Executive Board for Production and Logistics at Porsche AG.

The dedicated 5G network will be piloted in the technology cell of Porsche’s Macan body shop and will enable the control of robotics in real time without cables. It also allows for the transmission of massive amounts of data between other on-site machines, production workers and vehicles through the secure, flexible and predictable transmission of signals in real time. 

Gerd Rupp, Chairman of the Executive Board, Porsche Leipzig, says: “The 5G test area offers an excellent opportunity to test use cases in a production context and is an important step forward in our production of the future.”

The updated automation capabilities will have a significant impact on production at Porsche, providing numerous benefits for the company and its workers, including increased worker safety and a more efficient form of quality: faster production times, reduced costs and increased quality.

Åsa Tamsons, Head of Business Area Technologies and New Businesses at Ericsson, says: “Ericsson is proud to work with leading companies like Porsche in their smart factories and provide them with our world leading 5G and Private Network products. 5G connectivity can enable the next step in digital transformation in manufacturing, making it more efficient and effective. Ericsson’s Private Networks empower greater productivity, safety and flexibility across a variety of industries from manufacturing, processing, mining, offshore, and beyond.”

5G and Industry 4.0

5G is the next-generation of mobile communications, which will extend the performance of today’s mobile networks to serve the future needs of consumers and industries. This technology has many network characteristics that are essential for Industry 4.0 with increasingly flexible and complex production processes. It allows for faster data throughput rates and more network capacities, as well as promising highly secure availability. Moreover, ultra-low latency ensures fast response times between equipment in the factory system.