Audi and Ericsson announce 5G automotive partnership
Audi and Ericsson have announced a partnership to use 5G technology for automotive production in ‘smart factories’.
At the Audi headquarters in Ingolstadt, Germany, the two companies agreed on a range of activities exploring the potential of 5G as a future-proof communication technology that can meet the high demands of automotive production.
The two companies also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and in the coming months, experts from both organisations will run field tests in a technical centre at the “Audi Production Lab” in Gaimersheim, Germany.
Says Frank Loydl, Chief Information Officer at AUDI AG:
“The fully networked factory will have a significant impact on the production of the future. A powerful network architecture that can respond in real time is of decisive importance for us.
“As part of the project with our partner Ericsson, we are testing the opportunities offered by 5G technology for industrial applications in the smart factory.”
In addition to the Ingolstadt plant, Audi and Ericsson are exploring whether 5G can be used in other Audi Group factories.
Erik Ekudden, Group CTO at Ericsson, says:
“Ericsson is already running 5G industry programs all over the world to help manufacturers boost productivity and create new business opportunities.
“This project is a great opportunity to see what is possible when we bring 5G into an automobile production environment to truly enable smart wireless manufacturing.”
5G is the next-generation of mobile communications, which will extend the performance of today’s mobile networks to serve the future needs of consumers and industries.
5G networks will deliver a better and faster broadband experience for consumers, while for businesses 5G will be an enabler to open up new applications for everything from connected vehicles to the smart factories of tomorrow.
The technology has many network characteristics that are essential for Industry 4.0 with increasingly flexible and complex production processes.
It allows for faster data throughput rates and more network capacities, as well as promising highly secure availability. Moreover, ultra-low latency ensures fast response times between equipment in the factory system.
