Ford Teams with Panasonic and Qualcomm on V2X Tests

Ford, Panasonic and Qualcomm will begin testing vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication technologies this summer in Colorado.

The initiative is an extension of a previously announced program between Panasonic and he Colorado Dept. of Transportation. The program will assess V2X capabilities on select roadways near Panasonic's CityNOW operations in Denver. This will be followed by deployment in select areas along Colorado’s I-70 “mountain corridor” later in the year.

The transit authority’s existing fleet of Ford vehicles will be equipped with cellular-based devices utilizing Ficosa International SA’s CarCom platform to enable V2X communications. Panasonic’s connected vehicle data platform will collect and disseminate data to drivers and transportation authorities to enhance traffic flow and safety.

Kapsch TrafficCom, which is part of Austria’s Kapsch, will provide roadside units transponders.

The partners claim the Colorado program is the first U.S. deployment of cellular-V2X technology. C-V2X is designed to be compatible with upcoming fifth-generation cellular-based technologies and advanced driver-assistance sensors.

The system, which operates over the existing 5.9 GHz automotive broadcast band, doesn’t require a mobile network provider, subscription or SIM card. Panasonic says recent field tests show C-V2X communications has more than twice the range and improved reliability over dedicated short-range communications that use the 802.11p protocol.