Organizations to Implement C-V2X Roadside Units Along Select Roadways, Demonstrating C-V2X's Commercial Readiness for Industry Deployment as Early as 2019

Jan 7, 2019 | LAS VEGASThe City of Las Vegas, the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC) and Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM), announced today the implementation of C-V2X vehicle communication technology in Las Vegas. Working closely with Commsignia, Inc., C-V2X enabled roadside units (RSUs) will be featured along select roadways as a part of a trial program designed to demonstrate the benefits of C-V2X direct communication technology, as well as advance commercial deployment for the technology. The trial also serves as the first public installation of C-V2X in Las Vegas, supporting the Southern Nevada’s goal to serve as a growing hub for new technologies for autonomy and smart transportation.

“This is an exciting relationship for Southern Nevada as we continue our efforts in building the foundation for a smart community,” said RTC General Manager Tina Quigley. “With our approach to regional collaboration and an advanced infrastructure that supports the next generation of autonomous vehicle technology, Southern Nevada is a one-stop shop for companies like Qualcomm Technologies seeking to test and deploy innovative solutions that could potentially help us address our challenges of safety, congestion and capacity.”

Vehicles equipped with C-V2X capabilities will use aftermarket on-board units (OBU) to demonstrate on Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) use cases, including signal phase and timing (SPaT) and traffic messaging to vehicles. The trial will utilize Commsignia’s C-V2X RSUs and OBUs, the ITS-RS4-C and ITS-OB4-C respectively, both of which utilize the Qualcomm® 9150 C-V2X chipset solution based on 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Release 14 specifications for radio communication.

C-V2X is designed to be globally compatible with 5G and complement other Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) sensors, such as cameras, radar and Light Detection and Radar (LIDAR). C-V2X direct communication mode is designed to offer vehicles low latency communications for V2I, Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) and Vehicle-to-Pedestrian (V2P) without the involvement of a cellular network, or cellular network subscription, by operating on designated and harmonized 5.9 GHz ITS spectrum. Recent field test results show a significant range, reliability, and performance advantage of C-V2X direct communications, with more than twice the range and improved reliability compared to 802.11p radio technology.

“We are very proud to be working with the City of Las Vegas, Qualcomm Technologies and RTC on this installation in Las Vegas,” said Jozsef Kovacs, CEO of Commsignia. “Commsignia has supplied OBUs and RSUs to nearly 100 intersections throughout the city and with this cooperation, we look forward to playing a role in the implementation of C-V2X in Las Vegas, as well as our continued efforts with the automotive ecosystem in showcasing the commercial readiness for C-V2X.”

“Building on the traction of C-V2X implementation in innovative cities across the world, Qualcomm Technologies is pleased to be working with the City of Las Vegas and the RTC to provide a foundational element for enhanced vehicle connectivity to create safety conscious and more efficient roadways,” said Nakul Duggal, senior vice president of product management, Qualcomm Technologies. “Working together is essential to bring about the full potential of C-V2X, which is to improve road safety while revolutionizing public transportation. This is why we are looking forward to playing a key role in establishing Las Vegas as a leading hub for autonomy and smart transportation technologies.”

With C-V2X’s superior performance and evolutionary path to 5G, the direct communication technology is well-positioned to be the global solution for V2X communications, supporting advancements in wireless communication and new automotive applications needed for enhancements in safety conscious, autonomous driving and traffic efficiency. With the ability of C-V2X direct communications to be integrated into an LTE-based telematics unit, C-V2X is also cost-effective and continues to gain worldwide support in the automotive industry, and broader transportation ecosystem. Global C-V2X field validations with car manufacturers, automotive ecosystem participants, and in cooperation with regional governments are currently underway in Germany, France, Korea, China, Japan, and the U.S., with industry deployment expected to take place as early as 2019.