5G technology continues its unstoppable march towards definitive implantation in our society and is becoming something entirely normal to us all. 5G connectivity is clearly positioned as one of the most important catalysts for mobilising and transforming the economy, whilst energising the telecommunications industry along with other key sectors of economic development.

Besides the operators, device manufacturers, service providers and other companies working in the world of ICT, stakeholders in sectors as strategic as the automotive industry are also positioning themselves and carrying out initial trials to assess the impact of 5G vehicles, both in terms of understanding new modes of transport, as well as focussing on developing new infrastructure required for our future mobility.

5G technology as a transformative economic driver

From the perspective of the average user, 5G promises greater Internet speeds, much lower latency than current levels, as well as the possibility of connecting a greater number of devices, both quantity and type. But what really represents an opportunity beyond 5G connectivity alone is the sheer number of business doors that will open in the very near future, from remotely-operated robotic factories to smart cities full of sensors, autonomous cars, remote medicine – even the possibility of remote surgery – and much more.

For all this to be possible, both governments and businesses alike need to work together. What’s more, there should be no limits on our goals – no matter how futuristic they might seem – and all efforts must be targeted at ensuring 5G leaves no stone unturned, whether that’s in urban areas or the most rural settings. These were the most important conclusions of one conference entitled ‘5G: a technological revolution that demands a collective conscience’, organised by El País and Ferrovial, which recently took place in the Spanish capital of Madrid.

Rafael Fernández, Director of Innovation at Ferrovial, thinking about the mobility models of the future in our smart cities, confirmed that “5G could become the communication standard on the roads, helping users and their cars know exactly when another vehicle is coming in the opposite direction, the optimum speed for merging into a new lane, and giving priority to other cars in emergencies”.

5G vehicles are already here

5G connectivity equipped transport is already a reality in 2022. In the northern Spanish region of Aragón, over the next few months the first assisted driving trials will be carried out at Ciudad del Motor in Alcañiz, after the Motorland and Motortech complex was converted into a leading research centre for autonomous vehicles, as explained by Minister of Science, Universities and the Knowledge Society in the Aragonese government, Maru Díaz, at the project’s unveiling late last year.

Encompassing a number of different phases and with a notably multidisciplinary nature, the project will receive an investment of €2.2 million from the Teruel Investment Fund (FITE). In the first phase of the project, the entire complex will be equipped with 5G connectivity and broadband Internet, as well as fibre optic. This will allow data to be received from the sensors installed throughout, both on the tracks of the driving circuit and those distributed around the facility.

Work will also be done on a connected vehicle platform with Drive by Wire technology, which will equip vehicles with autonomous navigation control hardware and perception systems, including cameras, lasers and radar. Later, the basic algorithms for autonomous navigation will be adjusted and the first autonomous driving trials will take place on predetermined routes.

The final stage will involve integrating 5G communications in vehicles and linking them with the various nodes and antennae already installed at Motorland in order to verify that the coverage and performance of all parts of the circuit are present and correct. This is exactly how vehicles will be able to interact in real time.