For decades, hybrid computer/car enthusiasts have declared that the car is nothing but a computer on wheels, and predicted the imminent arrival of futuristic features and functions. Autonomous driving perhaps the most exciting of all.
By Kenneth Sheldrick, FMW
The idea of catching up on paperwork, relaxing, taking a nap, or watching a movie during the daily commute does have a good deal of allure to many.
Now, the advent of 5G has breathed new life into these dreams. Moreover, in addition to all these futuristic possibilities, some observers believe that the car itself will change dramatically. According to Axios, Some have predicted that the car will no longer depreciate when driven off the dealer’s lot, but will gain value thanks to cloud-based software enhancements, for instance.
That’s probably unlikely. Nevertheless, because of 5G’s vast speed and bandwidth, as well as its low latency, 5G will enable many exciting new ADAS features and probably will pave the way for ultimate adoption of autonomous driving.
These features include the following warnings: do-not-pass; blind intersections, excess speed for an upcoming curve; and alerts for unexpected road obstacles such as pedestrians and cyclists. All these new features could be incorporated in advanced heads-up displays and could be integrated into a system for real-time driving feedback and safety training.
5G-equipped cars are already on the road in China. BMW’s iX electric SUV be introduced later this year in Germany and in the U.S. in late 2021 or early 2022. US automakers are not far behind. IHS Markit, a London-based research firm, predicts that by 2025, 6 million vehicles equipped with 5G will be sold in North America alone.
