BMW Now Urging EU To Consider 5G Connectivity For Cars

BMW is hoping to convince the European Commission to allow for the use of 5G technology in cars, joining the likes of Vodafone and Ericsson in stating their concerns regarding the EU’s preference for Wi-Fi solutions.

The three companies feel as though it is crucial for the industry to have the freedom to adopt multiple technologies for connected cars, a sector estimated to be worth billions of euros per year, reports Automotive News Europe.

“It’s concerning that just two years later the principle of technological neutrality appears to be no longer adhered to by the European Commission,” said the three firms in a joint statement.

Last month, it was reported that the EU was favoring the use of Wi-Fi in cars, giving the likes of VW and Renault an advantage over BMW and other automakers who still back 5G connectivity – such as Daimler, Ford and the PSA Group. Other 5G supporters include tech giants Deutsche Telekom, Intel, Qualcomm, Samsung and Huawei.

The 5G standard, dubbed C-V2X, is said to be future proof and have a wider application than Wi-Fi for entertainment, traffic data and general navigation, although the likes of VW and Renault would point out that Wi-Fi is better for time-critical communications such as crash avoidance.

The Commission is currently seeking feedback from other internal units before it submits a final proposal to EU countries and lawmakers. Legislation is expected to be adopted sometime next year.