5G revs up the race to power autonomous cars

2019 is being heralded as the year SAE Level 4 autonomous cars will come into service. While fully autonomous cars for personal use are still around a decade away, the path to get there from a technical viewpoint is well defined, with China leading the way. 5G is spurring the development process, in part by encouraging further collaboration between operators and car OEMs. Standards to underpin vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication also play a vital role given the need for economies of scale and equipment longevity. This was highlighted at our recent event in Brussels, where the GSMA announced its partnership with the 5G Automotive Association (5GAA), the biggest consortium of automotive manufacturers, mobile operators and suppliers dedicated to the future of connected mobility using 5G as the underpinning platform.