Leading global mobility technology company Magna has joined Ericsson’s and Telia Sweden’s 5G innovation program for industrial enterprises, which will help it improve its automated driving capabilities. At Magna’s test track in Vårgårda, Sweden, where new state-of-the-art Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) solutions in vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-everything (V2X) connectivity are being trialed, Telia and Ericsson have built a dedicated, private 5G network as part of the agreement.

Magna will have access to 5G millimeter wave (mmWave) technology as part of NorthStar, providing smooth connectivity and low latency gigabit speeds for upcoming ADAS trials. Additionally, continued research into cooperative sensing and communication systems is made possible by the use of mmWave technology.

“By utilizing the latest advancements in mobile networks, we are able to accelerate the automotive domain by offering sensor enhancements and as a result offer more capable and competitive ADAS products,” said Bill Snider, President of Electronics.

“Our focus is not only on meeting challenging technical requirements, but also on developing products that can help anticipate critical situations to prevent accidents, ultimately making the roads safer for all.”

Magna’s test track will include the 5G network, which offers extremely low latency and gigabit data speeds. This network, which makes use of the 400MHz bandwidth and 26GHz frequency band, is essential for Magna’s driving automation and driver support systems because they depend on real-time data from car sensors. Quick response times and high network speeds are necessary for timely driver alerts, accident prevention, and accident impact reduction.

Ericsson dual-mode 5G Core, which is connected to Telia’s current public 5G network, powers NorthStar’s 5G network. Magna will be able to take advantage of high-speed connectivity over wide geographic areas thanks to this interconnectivity.

“As an industry leader in ADAS technologies, Magna is exactly the kind of company we envisioned joining us when we started the NorthStar program,” said Magnus Leonhardt, Head of innovation and strategy at Telia Sweden’s enterprise business unit. “The solutions they develop are based on the premise that vehicles and road users can share data in near real-time. To achieve that requires ultra-fast and reliable connectivity that you can trust, and that is precisely what 5G has been developed for. This is a great opportunity to really push the boundaries of 5G and the millimeter wave technology.”

By efficiently lowering the risk of catastrophic accidents or preventing them completely, Magna’s ADAS technology enhances driver safety. It does this by managing the steering, brakes, and acceleration. Magna integrates the environment and the needs of the driver to produce a remarkable driving experience. These cutting-edge technologies open the door to new mobility options and autonomous driving in the future.

“We are thrilled to have Magna joining NorthStar and to continue to put the power of 5G in the hands of global leaders within the automotive industry. Ericsson’s 5G mmWave technology enables a broad set of use cases with its low latency and very high speeds that will be key for new time-sensitive safety applications.”, said Nora Wahby, Head of Northern and Central Europe, at Ericsson.