NGMN calls on EC to rethink connected car technology

An organisation representing telecoms network operators has warned European lawmakers that their vision for the development of cooperative ITS (C-ITS) risks being too narrow. In a letter to European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker, the board of the NGMN Alliance highlights a key piece of EC legislation which will determine the technologies used for connected vehicles – and urges the inclusion of cellular-V2X (C-V2X) on the list. “Despite the EC’s stated commitment to technology neutrality, we
December 12, 2018 Read time: 2 mins
An organisation representing telecoms network operators has warned European lawmakers that their vision for the development of cooperative ITS (C-ITS) risks being too narrow.


In a letter to 1690 European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker, the board of the NGMN Alliance highlights a key piece of EC legislation which will determine the technologies used for connected vehicles – and urges the inclusion of cellular-V2X (C-V2X) on the list.

“Despite the EC’s stated commitment to technology neutrality, we are very concerned about the progressing Delegated Act,” the NGMN letter says.

“At the current time, it rules out the most recent technology, C-V2X, favouring a specific and single-purpose Wi-Fi based technology path, ITS-G5, which has no relationship to 5G technology and no evolutionary path towards compatibility with future 5G based C-ITS systems generations.”

This will preclude “the evolution to 5G for connected cars”, it warns. “Limiting C-ITS deployment to ITS-G5 would imperil the European Union automotive industry’s ability to compete in today’s global and evolving technological marketplace. This places Europe at a technical and economic disadvantage compared with other regions of the world including China and the US, where C-V2X is emerging as a strong technology candidate for C-ITS.”

The NGMN board says that Delegated Act adoption “should not be rushed” and adds that C-V2X is not only able to enhance safety features for vehicles, but also supports use cases for vulnerable road users such as cyclists.

“NGMN has investigated and concluded that C-V2X technology is superior to 6781 IEEE 802.11p standards, technically, economically, and eco-system wise, and can well satisfy the basic safety applications,” the letter goes on.

The board believes its favoured technology has a better communication range, latency and scalability and “has a natural evolution path to future advanced applications by updating current networks to 5G”.

Related Content

  • July 21, 2020
    Cohda Wireless: 'New York has the best urban canyons'
    Dr Paul Alexander, chief technical officer of Cohda Wireless, talks to Adam Hill about DSRC versus C-V2X, global connected vehicle take-up, the uses of WiFi – and, of course, seeing round the Big Apple's buildings...
    Read More
  • December 13, 2018
    Karhoo says London faces decline in taxis and private hire vehicles
    Ride-hailing platform Karhoo says that the number of taxis and private hire (PH) vehicles in London is set to decline as demographic and financial pressures bite. Taxis can be hailed in the street while PH vehicles can only be booked in advance, but both are struggling, Karhoo says in its submission to the Greater London Authority (GLA)’s investigation into the sector. The headline figures of a large increase in PH numbers in London - and claims of this being the cause of congestion - have obscured
    Read More
  • November 3, 2017
    AT&T, Ford, Nokia and Qualcomm Technologies to test C-V2X in U.S.
    American Telephone & Telegraph (AT&T), Ford, Nokia and Qualcomm Technologies are teaming up with the intention of accelerating the development of connected cars by trailing Cellular-V2X (C-V2X) technologies in the U.S. These tests are aimed at showing automakers and road operators the anticipated cost-efficient benefits associated with embedded C-V2X in vehicles and synergies between the deployment of cellular base stations and roadside infrastructure. Initial testing is expected to begin later this year.
    Read More
  • September 19, 2022
    ITS must be part of EU Green Deal
    New legislation designed to make transport greener may be missing a trick, stakeholders say
    Read More

Highlighted Content