The UK’s AutoAir project is getting into high gear and preparing to launch the 5G test network at Millbrook Proving Ground this month. The 5G testbed aims to put the next generation mobile technology through its paces to validate and develop connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) in the UK.
The network will provide CAV developers with speeds up to 1 Gbps over a wide area via 4G and 5G small cells. The infrastructure installation will be completed in the first quarter of this year and the network will be officially launched at an event on February 12 at Millbrook Proving Ground, a vehicle testing facility in Bedfordshire.
The project has so far installed all the masts for the 5G radio antennas, laid 19 kilometres of fibre optic cabling and is currently deploying the wireless equipment. This month, 23 small cell base stations will go live, which will support demonstrations on the day of launch, and a further 15 small cells will also be installed.
Paul Senior, Chief Strategy Officer of Airspan Networks and CEO of Dense Air said: “The rate of progress made at the Millbrook site in the installation of this unique 5G testing capability is very encouraging. When the installation is complete, it will mark a crucial milestone in the delivery of the AutoAir project, and in the wider development and validation of connected and autonomous vehicles using 5G networks.”
The 4G and 5G small cells are deployed as a so-called neutral host platform so that the test network can be used by multiple private and public mobile network operators at the same time via network slicing. The 5G small cells will operate in sub-6GHz as well as millimetrewave spectrum bands.
The project will test how to deliver constant high speed and low latency connectivity to fast moving vehicles for CAVs use cases as well as how to improve connectivity along road and railway networks to support other transportation use cases.
Supported by a UK government grant of £4.1 million, the AutoAir project is one of the country’s six 5G testbeds, which are part of the government’s broader 5G Testbeds and Trials Programme announced in 2017.
The AutoAir consortium is led by AirSpan Networks, hosted by Millbrook, and includes additional participants 5G Innovation Centre at the University of Surrey, ARM, Blu Wireless, Dense Air Ltd., McLaren Applied technologies, Quortus and Real Wireless.
Other 5G testbeds that have recently stepped up activities include the 5G Smart Tourism Project, 5G RuralFirstand the 5G Rural Integrated Testbed (5GRIT).
Source: https://5g.co.uk/news/autoair-5g-testbed-launch/4714/