Qualcomm makes progress on C-V2X introduction in Europe

Photo: Ficosa

Qualcomm Technologies’ 9150 C-V2X Platform, among several other products from automotive and infrastructure suppliers, has completed certification in accordance with the European Radio Equipment Directive (RED) Certification in Europe, a requirement for placing radio equipment on the market.

This is a major step forward toward the commercial introduction of cellular vehicle-to-everything (C-V2X) in Europe, the company said. C-V2X is a global solution for vehicle-to-vehicle and V2X communication, designed to enhance road safety and facilitate smart transportation systems. C-V2X establishes the foundation to support safety use-cases with a path for integration into next generation 5G technologies, while tapping into the broader 3GPP ecosystem to drive wider adoption. With its evolution to 5G New Radio, C-V2X offers rich and differentiated experiences consumers continue to demand as we usher in the world of 5G and autonomy, the company added.

A new European Standard defining the use of C-V2X as an access layer technology for Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) devices was recently approved through the European Telecommunication Standardization Institute (ETSI). According to Qualcomm, all the ETSI standards and specifications that define other ITS protocols above the access layer have been updated to support utilization of C-V2X as the underlying access layer. These standards and specifications have been included in the ETSI ITS Release 1 specification set and provide the basis for development of interoperable C-V2X ITS implementations and devices from multiple vendors.

Several products, all of which feature the Qualcomm 9150 C-V2X chipset solution, have achieved RED certification, including the Commsignia On-Board Unit, Commsignia Roadside Unit, Ficosa OBU, Kapsch RSU, Savari MobiWAVE 2000 OBU, Savari StreetWAVE SW2000 RSU and WNC module.

“By being one of the very first to achieve the OBU RED certification in June 2019, Ficosa continues its commitment to accelerating and expanding C-V2X as a path to 5G,” said Joan Palacin, business unit director of Ficosa Advanced Communications. “Not only in Europe but also China, USA and globally, we see C-V2X as a key technology to achieve automotive industry challenging safety goals by significantly reducing fatalities on our roads.”

Qualcomm expects early product availability to accelerate adoption of the solution in the region.