How 5G Is Driving

the Auto Industry

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T he automotive industry continuously advances new innovation
to better serve drivers, from enhanced safety features to electric
batteries to information-sharing with other vehicles and infrastructure.
To drive these innovations, U.S. policy needs to continue to provide
access to full-power licensed spectrum for the deployment of wide-area
networks that reach America’s drivers in urban, suburban, and rural areas.

Today, wireless networks are an integral part of this innovation, guiding The industries represented by CTIA—The Wireless Association and the
how drivers gain awareness of what’s around them, how they entertain Alliance for Automotive Innovation (Auto Innovators) work at the confluence
passengers, and how vehicles are manufactured. of wireless capability and automative innovation to power, drive, and build
the vehicles of the future—and the policies needed to support these efforts.
Automakers are first movers in understanding how new generations
of networks, like 5G, help unlock new capabilities, including: The key now is to ensure public policy promotes future innovation in the
United States. This includes reauthorizing the FCC to hold needed spectrum
+ Increasing the amount of data that can be carried auctions and allocating more spectrum that’s targeted to meet consumer
and the speed at which this data arrives to a navigation demand and drives future industry advancement and investment.
app, onboard infotainment system, or internal system
for predictive and planning functions Auto Innovators and CTIA support thoughtful spectrum policy that allows
industries to invest long-term in future solutions and technologies, as well as
+ Ultra-low latency that eliminates lags and delays policy that reflects the importance of international harmonization to support
when split seconds matter global economies of scale for equipment and related technologies.

+ The potential to support 100x more devices for Read on for a peek at how the wireless and automotive industries
connecting everyone and everything on the road, are working together to offer 5G-powered innovations, with a focus
from sensors to smartphones to public safety and on roadway safety, commute improvements, smart manufacturing,
traffic management systems connected transit and entertainment, and emissions reduction.

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 5G Innovation
for Automotive
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EWRN ON Safety
The auto industry has made safety a guiding priority for years, and
5G is enabling further advancements in this space.

5G will help a vehicle automatically share crash information with

first responders. Drivers and cars will use 5G to respond to real-time
routing and weather information. These features and others allow
parents to maintain their peace-of-mind as 5G-enabled safety
features work to protect young drivers.

5G-powered infrastructure will speak with the traffic management systems around it to provide valuable
information about a vehicle’s surroundings.

For these and other auto safety scenarios, information is everything. 5G networks help send data faster,
decrease reaction times, and support more devices that talk to each other in real time.

Empowered by this next generation of connectivity, manufacturers, end users, city planners, and more are
exploring ways 5G-enabled vehicle solutions can make our roads, vehicles, and communities safer.

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Honda and Verizon: Hyundai:

Pushing Onboard Bringing All

Innovation to the Edge the Pieces Together
Across the University of Michigan’s 32-acre Here’s one example. A driver approaches a To communicate with the infrastructure, traffic, Hyundai Mobis, part of parent company HMG,
Mcity, smart cameras scan the intersections, building-filled downtown intersection and doesn’t and systems around it, a connected vehicle needs developed a 5G telematics module that will
Honda vehicles equipped with multi-access edge see a pedestrian about to cross the street. Data to harness a wide range of devices, capabilities, share data from sensors between vehicles.
computing (MEC) capabilities travel the roads, about the pedestrian’s exact location travels at and technologies, including communication This will enable capabilities such as automatic
and a 5G Verizon network connects it all, testing lightning speed from a smart camera to the car, chips, RF circuits, and navigation systems. deceleration in school zones and enhanced
out the next generation of automotive safety. assisted by Verizon’s Hyper Precise Location Bringing all these technologies together into one emergency vehicle controls.
Services. The driver stops just in time. telematic system expands the possibilities for
With MEC, vehicles can take advantage of using data to improve vehicle safety.
advanced IoT solutions without needing complex In another scenario, a driver’s music drowns out the
computing capabilities on board. For automakers, siren of an ambulance speeding up from behind. A Telematics modules are part of an overall drive by
this simplifies manufacturing while enabling MEC-enabled warning device picks up the noise and Hyundai Motor Group (HMG) and its partners and
them to offer their customers innovative new automatically mutes the vehicle’s sound system. affiliates to develop mobility applications that merge
technology. Meanwhile, drivers benefit from state- integrated 5G V2X technology with the autonomous
of-the-art—and potentially life-saving—safety tools MEC can also help support advanced sensors and in-vehicle-entertainment capabilities
and warning systems. technologies like AI, to bring further innovation already in our cars. This will help facilitate more
safely to America’s roads. connected car features and autonomous driving.

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Bosch and T-Mobile: Nissan and Verizon:

Sharpening the View for Illuminating Hidden

Cities and Drivers Hazards
Innovation-powered safety means many Here’s one example. A camera’s video combines During a smooth commute to work, a cyclist of C-V2X communication to notify drivers about
things in a busy downtown. For drivers, it can with data from Beep autonomous shuttles to suddenly pops out from a hidden alley. It’s a vehicles or pedestrians entering into traffic. And
involve real-time data directing them swiftly create a picture of traffic flow and safety hazards. nightmare scenario for drivers, and Nissan and it’s part of an overall initiative in California to
and seamlessly to available charging stations This informs Signal, Phase, and Timing (SPaT) Verizon have developed proven technology to explore different vehicle- and infrastructure-based
and parking spaces, minimizing congestion, technology by Iteris that adjusts traffic lights prevent it. sensor configurations for identifying hazards
frustration, and potential collisions. accordingly. All of this information also feeds beyond the line of sight.
back to Peachtree Corners city planners, guiding Sensor data from vehicles and infrastructure
At Curiosity Lab in Peachtree Corners, Georgia, decisions about how to design infrastructure and travel to Nissan’s proprietary telematics test Projects like these build upon Nissan’s award-
manufacturer Bosch and T-Mobile are testing 5G’s traffic management systems. platform. When the system detects a hazard, it winning history of using connectivity to strengthen
capacity to support these scenarios and more. sends the driver an urgent warning via 5G, which driver safety. The 2023 Nissan Arriya received IIHS
the driver then sees as a notification in the vehicle. TOP SAFETY PICK+ designation for features like
Bosch smart cameras stationed throughout Nissan Safety Shield 360® and driver’s assistance
this living laboratory collect video data of their The trial, conducted by Nissan’s Research and technologies like intelligent cruise control and
surroundings. This information, supported by Advanced Engineering team in Silicon Valley, is ProPILOT Park—capabilities that 5G connectivity
Cradlepoint 5G hardware, travels across T-Mobile’s an important milestone demonstrating the power promises to augment even more.
Ultra Capacity 5G network for a variety of purposes.

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HARMAN:

Designing for a
Connected Future
The company now known as HARMAN was one These products include the new HARMAN Savari
of America’s first audio electronics companies. MobiWAVE, an onboard wireless unit that brings
Today as a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics, existing telematic control units and V2X services
it’s hard at work designing products that make together to communicate about traffic hazards.
vehicles 5G-ready, from antennas optimized
for high-speed, low-latency connectivity to a The HARMAN Savari StreetWAVE enables
new platform that supports multi-access edge communication between connected infrastructure
computing (MEC). and the vehicles around it. And the company
is also developing the market’s first 5G-ready
telematics control unit, which gives auto dealers
the ability to upgrade vehicles from 4G to 5G for a
safer, better driving experience.

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 5G Innovation
for Automotive
Manufacturing
The auto industry has been synonymous with American manufacturing
for decades. Today, auto manufacturers are taking advantage of state-
of-the art technologies and building safer, more sustainable vehicles
with major economic benefits. As Auto Innovators reports, for every $1
added to the economy by auto manufacturing, an additional $3.45 in
economic value is created, and for every direct auto manufacturing job,
another 10.5 American jobs are created.

5G connectivity is starting to play a big role in the future of auto manufacturing, giving the increasingly
technical, data-driven process of assembling vehicles a competitive edge.

In a survey by the Manufacturing Institute, 93% of manufacturers said that they anticipate cost savings from
5G-connected floor technology, and 94% indicated that they expect more productive machines.

Workers stand to benefit too. Boston Consulting Group reports that the 5G economy will enable 4.5 million jobs
by 2030. On the job, these workers will be trading cumbersome paper safety binders and training manuals for
virtual and augmented reality tools that immerse them in the information they need, when they need it.

How does 5G innovation in auto manufacturing work? 5G-connected sensors alert facility managers to
inventory supply and demand, power usage, and safety issues in real time as automation keeps processes
moving and AI and machine learning tools drive further improvements behind the scenes. Meanwhile,
autonomous vehicles shuttle parts where they’re needed most and 5G-powered robots, like Roombas with
superpowers, keep the factory floor clean and safe, unencumbered by wires or cables.

That’s full-powered, licensed 5G spectrum in action—and a vision of connected automotive manufacturing

that’s taking shape right now.

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Ford and AT&T: Mercedes:

Lightning-fast 5G Supports the

Communications on Factory of the Future
the Factory Floor
Testing is a critical part of the vehicle Mercedes and their wireless partners were
manufacturing process, ensuring quality and the first to incorporate 5G into running auto
Ford’s historic Rouge industrial complex in make MEC possible, enabling scores of production enabling more efficient processes. Across production. The luxury automaker has been
Dearborn, Michigan, is building the vehicles of line workers to scan trucks, send information, and thousands of complex components, it’s a reaping the benefits ever since. On the assembly
the future, including the all-electric Ford F-150 check equipment or materials in real time today massively data-intense undertaking as well, line, the private 5G network enables more precise
Lightning pickup truck. So, it’s only natural and implement time-saving automation tools for and security concerns add to the challenge. product tracking and more efficient processes.
that the facility uses the latest in advanced even greater efficiencies tomorrow.
manufacturing technologies in the process, Mercedes Factory 56, which proudly calls itself Throughout the facility, 5G is supporting driverless
powered by AT&T’s 5G connectivity. For a factory doubling its production, this ultra- “the factory of the future,” worked with German transport systems, automated picking systems,
fast connectivity and ability to support high- wireless provider Telefonica and equipment predictive maintenance, and more. And 5G is the
5G-enabled multi-access edge computing (MEC) volume IoT networks is vital. In the critical area manufacturer Ericsson to build a private wireless most secure generation of wireless technology to
helps to move data processing from a centralized of safety, 5G’s ultra-low latency means faster network to support the factory’s specific needs. date, with enhanced protections built in, making the
cloud to the network’s edge—a game-changer on responsiveness to any issues that arise across the The factory now benefits from the 5G-powered Mercedes floor and trade secrets safe and secure.
an expansive factory floor. 5G’s ultra-fast speeds plant’s hundreds of devices and machines. network’s faster speeds, greater responsiveness,
and ability to support more devices.

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Taqtile:

Troubleshooting
with a Hands-on Touch
In auto manufacturing, frontline workers are the need to work quickly, consistently, and safely. The
bridge between ambitious renderings and actual information comes to them via audio, video, spatial
vehicles on the road. They assemble complex indicators, and animated 3D models, overlaid with
parts, inspect them for quality, integrate them real-time sensor data, and alerts.
into larger systems, and much more.
By bringing more speed, responsiveness, and
Seattle-based software company Taqtile is capacity to the platform, 5G takes Manifest’s
transforming this important work through capabilities to the next level. Real-time
augmented and mixed reality (AR/MR). Its Manifest communication and collaboration are now
work instruction platform brings spatial computing possible. Now when a frontline worker encounters
powers to the digital or paper-based materials a particularly thorny problem, they can bring in
that frontline workers traditionally use to check a colleague or expert to weigh in through their
next steps, troubleshoot problems, and access headset or mobile device, from anywhere in the
training. From a tablet, phone, or AR/MR headset, world. It’s “in-person support” at their fingertips,
users simply log in and get the information they saving time, money, and carbon emissions.

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 5G Innovation for
Connectedness
and Entertainment
Today, the part of the vehicle that consumers interact with most might
just be their dashboard and infotainment system. Automakers are
paying attention. They’re using data from these digital tools to refine
the in-vehicle entertainment experience and incorporating features like
voice control capabilities to keep drivers safe.

By 2027, roughly one out of every four new vehicles that drives off the lot will be 5G-enabled. They’ll be the
envy of the road, given all of the advanced capabilities 5G makes possible, such as sharper-quality calls,
more accurate navigation, more applications built into the vehicle itself, and the ability to function as a hotspot
for other devices.

Vehicles connected via full-power, licensed 5G spectrum bring transportation and entertainment together
and transform the driving experience. Drivers will be able to pay for parking in a connected garage without
fumbling through their wallets for a credit card or smartphones for an app. Passengers will be able to catch
up with work, TV, or movies or level up their gaming scores as they ride, with the same quality experience
they’d have at home.

Throughout, 5G’s speed, responsiveness, and capacity will allow for real-time software updates, enhancing
vehicle performance and data protection via a network with security already built in.

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Holoride and T-Mobile: Ford and AT&T:

Integrating Your Tide Bringing Super Connectivity

with VR to the Super Duty Truck
Passengers of all ages want to be entertained This kind of connectivity helps provide a VR IoT networks and data analytics are The trucks now come with a Qualcomm
on a long drive. Holoride, with backing from entertainment experience that is well synced transforming efficiency and decision making Snapdragon® 5G Modem-RF System built in. This
investors like Audi, makes that possible by with the motions of the car to enhance how in farming, and augmented/immersive reality connects the truck to AT&T’s 5G network, enabling
integrating the motion of a car ride into games immersed a person can be with the game or are bringing similar possibilities to contracting a suite of productivity-enhancing software and
and entertainment that can be enjoyed through show and eliminate any feelings of nausea that and construction. But all of these cutting-edge services, faster navigation for getting where you
a VR headset while riding along in a vehicle. come from a lag in the game’s responsiveness applications are of limited use without sufficient need to go, and software updates while you’re on
to its surroundings. connectivity in the field or on site, where the the move. High-speed, low-latency connectivity
T-Mobile partnered with Holoride to successfully work is getting done. also means richer, more immersive music,
connect the passenger VR system to the T-Mobile Now passengers can enjoy a VR entertainment streaming and gaming when it’s break time.
5G network, enabling a low-latency connection experience on the go. To address challenges like these, Ford and AT&T
that could support edge-computing capabilities. have joined forces to turn the workhorse Super Ford calls its connected vehicle experience
Duty truck into the ultimate mobile device. “brains to match its brawn,” and here are just a
few of the 5G-powered benefits a driver might
experience on the job:

+ A searchable digital owner’s manual

with streaming how-to videos

+ An in-vehicle Wi-Fi hotspot that can

support up to 10 devices

+ Driver-assist technologies that bring

in data about potential hazards, then
enable a quick response.

SYNC® 4 technology keeps everything updated,

while Enhanced Voice Recognition further
personalizes the driver experience.

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General Motors (GM) and AT&T: Audi of America and Verizon:

Bringing Drivers Nationwide Powering the Journey from

into the 5G Revolution Smart Cars to C-V2X
If you’re buying a 2024 model year Chevrolet, protecting personal information, strong encryption While rolling out its 5G network, Verizon These in-car solutions are just the beginning
Buick, Cadillac, or GMC vehicle, you’ll drive them safeguards the data as it travels over 5G networks has also been working with Audi of America as Verizon continues to enhance its offerings
off the lot with 5G capabilities already built in. built with security in mind. on ways for drivers nationwide to take and Audi partners with state departments of
advantage of it. transportation, infrastructure providers, and
It’s all part of a joint effort between GM and AT&T The GM-AT&T partnership reflects years of technology companies. In the works are direct
to bring 5G connectivity and its advantages to strategy, investment, and planning. Starting The result: solutions embedded within the C-V2X communication solutions like alerts and
millions of drivers nationwide. with the 2019 model year, GM equipped its vehicles themselves that connect Audi drivers to a other safety advancements, putting 5G’s low
vehicles with AT&T’s 4G LTE connectivity, offering host of cutting-edge capabilities and experiences. latency to work to protect pedestrians, children,
As the next generation of wireless connectivity, enhanced vehicle performance capabilities and Picture navigation systems enhanced with HD/3D road maintenance crews, cyclists, and other
5G enhances the driving experience in many improved navigation, plus streaming video and the mapping and video, mobile retail capabilities vulnerable users of the road.
ways. Faster speeds enhance a vehicle’s ability delivery of other multimedia. With the rollout of 5G enabling passengers to shop on the go, and cloud-
to support the increasing volumes of data used connectivity in their 2024 vehicles, GM is taking based user profiles, delivering streaming video
by today’s navigation systems and connected these capabilities further, laying the groundwork and other infotainment faster and sharper than
services. A low-latency 5G network is able to for autonomous transport and other milestones ever. Behind the scenes, 5G-powered firmware
relay safety information to a connected vehicle in connected vehicle innovation that thrive on the and software upgrades keep everything as up-to-
before a human driver can even process it. For increased data sharing 5G supports. date and secure as the latest smartphone.

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 5G Innovation
for Reducing
Emissions
With the rise of electric vehicles and their ability to continually improve
vehicle fuel efficiency, automakers are on the forefront of efforts to
reduce carbon emissions in the transportation sector.

5G can help take emission reduction efforts further. Accenture estimates transportation-related 5G-enabled
use cases will cut carbon emissions by 86.5 million metric tons—that’s equal to the carbon sequestered by
106 million acres of U.S. forests each year.

With its high speeds, low latency, and ability to support growing numbers of IoT devices, 5G delivers
information in real time. When this data is put to work in smart transportation solutions, vehicles use less
power, reduce time on the road, and release fewer emissions.

Think about connected traffic infrastructure. When drivers know what’s ahead of them sooner, there’s less
need to accelerate or brake quickly. When sensors at intersections respond to real-time traffic flow, vehicles
idle for less time at stoplights and traffic signals. And when all of this information is analyzed at lightning
speed, traffic management systems are able to anticipate, flag, and resolve the congestion that unnecessarily
burns fuel and adds to our carbon footprint.

Smart parking systems are one example of how 5G connectivity will reduce emissions. Sensors on lamp
posts and utility cabinets are another. They provide a bird’s-eye, real-time view of open spots. Drivers equipped
with this information spend less time idling, circling, waiting, and guessing. Their vehicles, in turn, use fuel
more efficiently and operate in a more environmentally friendly fashion.

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Halo.Car, Beep, and T-Mobile:

Connecting Travelers to
Earth-friendly Transport
Millions of people visit Las Vegas and Atlanta around, making travelers in town checking out
each year. If each of them was to rent a car, what’s new part of the future themselves.
these cities would experience major gridlock.
Gas usage skyrockets along with emissions— And in suburban Atlanta, all-electric autonomous
which is not the kind of future that any city, or public shuttles by Beep transport residents to
our planet, wants. popular restaurants, retail shops and hotels—moving
safely and efficiently around bikes, pedestrians
In Las Vegas, Halo.Car is piloting a fleet of and other vehicles. 5G’s low latency, high bandwidth
autonomous electric vehicles addressing this and high-speed connectivity support the “vehicle
challenge on multiple levels: connecting travelers to everything” technology that makes it possible.
to available vehicles on demand, navigating Beep’s shuttles lower carbon emissions and traffic
vehicles to the most efficient route, and reducing congestion. In fact, a single shuttle route can
idling, circling, and congestion by tourists eliminate up to eight private car trips.
unfamiliar with the city. Partnering with T-Mobile’s
network means 5G’s high speeds, low lag time, “Beep is transforming mobility through the use of
and ability to support data collection and autonomous, electric, multi-passenger vehicles
processing from multiple sources deliver the real- enabled by 5G,” said Beep CEO Joe Moye.
time information that makes it all possible.

“We want to make it so easy to get a car on-

demand that you no longer need to own a car or
use a rideshare service—you just call a car to drive
when you need to go somewhere,” Halo CEO Anand
Nandakumar told the Las Vegas Review Journal.
“This commercial launch of driverless delivery is a
landmark achievement not only for our company,
but for the entire transportation industry.”

Visitors to CES 2024 got to experience this mix of

safety and sustainability for themselves. A fleet
of remotely controlled Halo EVs joined traditional
taxis and ridesharing options as a way to get

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