Audi announced that it has signed an agreement with Verizon to bring 5G connectivity to its U.S. lineup in the near future starting with the 2024MY cars. The automaker aims to be an early adopter of the ultra-wideband telecommunications network in its vehicles.
“Audi drivers will be among the first in the world to experience a new generation of automobiles, one in which their car is both a 5G mobile device and a vehicle,” said Tami Erwin, CEO of Verizon Business. “We’re proud to bring the best 5G networking expertise in the world to a visionary partner like Audi, whose premium automotive engineering deserves second-to-none 5G technology to match.”
The technology is important for a variety of in-car connected services. and allows passengers to download or stream entertainment at higher speeds, it allows vehicles to receive software upgrades over the air, and allows the navigation system to be enhanced with HD/3D mapping and videos services.
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It will also allow the infotainment system to better handle less familiar services in vehicles, like cloud-based user profiles, mobile retail capabilities, and cellular vehicle-to-everything communication (C-V2X) technology. Audi has already started offering a few C-V2X technologies to its North American lineup in the form of information about traffic lights, construction zones, and more in certain locations.
With 5G, though, it says it can further develop the technology to allow vehicles to respond to other vehicles and infrastructure to deliver low-latency information about the road around them. Not only could that provide drivers with useful information about accidents on the road ahead, it will also be crucial in the development of automated vehicles.
Along with providing Audi vehicles access to the 5G network, Verizon is partnering with all three major cloud providers to provide users with access to mobile edge compute services, which will further aid in the development of autonomous driving features.
Audi said it will begin to introduce 5G connectivity and its associated services, some of which may require subscriptions, on model year 2024 vehicles, without elaborating further on the actual launch date when we asked the company’s U.S. spokesperson.
“Audi was the first automaker to bring in-vehicle Wi-Fi to customers as well as 4G LTE connectivity in the 2015 A3, and we will be among the first to bring the next generation of connectivity to our customers in the U.S.,” said Filip Brabec, senior VP, Product Planning, Audi of America. “We value our partnership with Verizon and their eagerness to push the boundaries of what’s possible as cars continue to become even more connected.”
