Audi to Test 5G Communications in Pilot Plant

Audi AG is partnering with Swedish telecommunications giant LM Ericsson to use 5G communications technology in advanced manufacturing applications.

As part of a new agreement, the two companies will conduct tests with 5G-enabled systems at the Audi Production Lab in Gaimersheim, Germany. The tests will simulate production processes used at Audi’s main assembly plant in nearby Ingolstadt.

In the first phase of the project, the partners will test a “latency-critical” application using wirelessly connected robots involved in gluing applications during the vehicle body assembly process. The laboratory will be equipped with Ericsson's proof-of-concept 5G network that is designed to integrate various technologies, such as wi-fi, wireless local area networks and wired ethernet-equipped production tools.

Ericsson currently is testing 5G manufacturing programs for several non-automotive applications. Emerging 5G systems can operate at speeds of 5 gigabits per second—more than five times the speed of current 4G LTE modems and with one-tenth the latency. In addition to smart factories, this is expected to allow for improved cloud connectivity and help pave the way for fully autonomous vehicle systems.