SK Telecom achieved what it says is the world’s fastest 5G speed for a connected car during a demonstration conducted with Ericsson and BMW Korea.
SKT said the trio has successfully tested its pilot 5G network on a connected car running at 170 kilometers per hour, reaching a 3.6Gbps transmission speed over the 28-GHz band.
The demo was conducted at the German car maker’s driving center in Yeongjong Island, Incheon, where the trio first successfully tested its pilot 5G network for multi-vehicular communications last November.
SK Telecom said with 5G avoiding obstacles is difficult at high speeds, but the operator achieved this through the application of advanced beamforming and beamtracking technologies.
“Connected car is regarded as the barometer for 5G as it can only be realized through the combination of all 5G technologies. As ultra-high speed and ultra-low latency are prerequisites for realizing autonomous driving and immersive media services, the 3.6Gpbs transmission speed we successfully demonstrated today not only brings us a step closer to realizing autonomous driving, but will also have a great impact on a broader range of industries,” SK Telecom said in a statement.
The demo significantly enhances the stability of connected car services by improving image recognition and V2X (Vehicle to Everything Communication) technologies, the operator added.
“That is, a vehicle will be able to communicate, in real time, with other vehicles, traffic lights and surveillance cameras to understand and respond to unexpected situations and obstacles... in a much shorter time.”