Page 50 - SAMENA Trends - March-April 2022

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Cisco-Verizon Collaboration Advances Autonomous Vehicle Tech with
Streamlined Architecture

Cisco and Verizon collaborated on a efficiency and cost effectiveness for compute to allow applications at the
successful proof of concept demo in Las municipalities, infrastructure providers, edge to communicate and inform split-
Vegas, showing that cellular and mobile and application developers working with second decision making. “This test is a
edge compute (MEC) technology can autonomous vehicles. (C-V2X refers to a huge milestone in proving that the future
enable autonomous driving solutions vehicle’s ability to communicate with other of connectivity for IoT applications can
without the use of costly physical vehicles and connected infrastructure be powered by cellular,” said Krishna
Roadside Units to extend radio signals. surrounding it.) The result demonstrates Iyer, Director of Systems Architecture,
The result paves a simpler and more that connected and autonomous vehicle Verizon. “We’re marking the strength
efficient route to powering applications applications can be deployed today using of mobile edge compute platforms for
such as autonomous/unmanned last-mile LTE networks, mobile edge compute, and connected transportation innovation with
delivery bots and robotaxis in cities like in-vehicle interfaces deployed by OEMs. much more streamlined architecture.
Las Vegas, where public MEC technologies These capabilities could lead to safer, less Together with Cisco technologies, we’re
exist. Additionally, cities and roadway congested roads in current connected and setting the foundation potentially to
operators could create safer roads with autonomous vehicles, with scalability for realize a ubiquitous IoT in the connected
C-V2X applications including pedestrian future applications hosted at the edge and and autonomous future of driving.” “The
protection, emergency and transit using LTE and 5G connectivity. future of autonomous vehicles cannot
vehicle pre-emption, on and off-ramp Connected Transportation – Powered by progress without reliable communication
protection (e.g., when a loaded truck needs Cellular between vehicles and their surrounding
autonomous guidance to merge or brake Improving communication between environments,” said Mark Knellinger, Lead
safely), and potentially others that involve vehicles and their surrounding Transportation Solutions Architect, Cisco.
vehicles approaching intersections with infrastructure is essential for creating safer “This is huge for roadway operators in that
traffic signals. roadways and enabling the autonomous it relieves them of the massive expense of
Proof of Concept future of driving. Intersections must be deploying and operating a dedicated V2X
Autonomous features in connected securely connected and equipped with environment.”
vehicles have always relied on roadside
radios to extend the signals vehicles
use for low-latency communication with
each other and surrounding connected
infrastructure. The Cisco and Verizon test
proved that Verizon’s LTE network and
public 5G Edge with AWS Wavelength,
together with Cisco Catalyst IR1101
routers in connected infrastructure, can
meet the latency thresholds required
for autonomous driving applications
– replacing the costly roadside radios
previously required to meet those needs.
By using LTE and edge compute to
virtualize the role of the Roadside Units,
C-V2X communications proved to be more
streamlined – likely to result in improved

Cisco, NEC Deploy 5G-Ready IP Network for Vivo

Cisco and NEC are deploying a ‘simplified and automated,
5G-ready IP network’ for Telefonica Brasil (Vivo), as the telco
seeks to operate converged mobile and fixed networks as
part of its ‘Fusion Network Project’. The press release notes:
‘Telefonica designed the Fusion Network Project as a platform
for incorporating services into a single network infrastructure,
offering advanced communications services, and transforming
the customer experience.’ Cisco will provide Vivo with the network
equipment, while NEC will serve as the network integrator.

50 MARCH-APRIL 2022