Europe Poised to Approve Wi-Fi Over G5 for Connectivity

The European Commission is preparing to unveil draft legislation next month that would approve vehicle connectivity that uses high-speed wi-fi technology rather than next-generation cellular networks.

The rule, likely to take effect in 2019, would give the wi-fi-based “ITS-G5” system an edge in an intense global fight over standards and technologies that will enable vehicles to communicate at high speed with each other and their surroundings.

Reuters says the EC will continue to evaluate the competing fifth-generation cellular alternative, C-V2X. The draft legislation says the commission could revise the regulation accordingly, but perhaps not for another 12 months.

Backers of ITS-G5 say their technology is tested, ready to implement and offers superior performance for time-sensitive communications such as crash avoidance. They also point to the life-saving benefits of implementing their system right away. ITS-G5 backers include Autotalks, NXP, Renault and Volkswagen.

Proponents of the cellular-based alternative, called C-V2X, say their technology offers broader capabilities to deliver high-speed entertainment, tariff and mapping data to vehicles. C-V2X fans include Daimler, Deutsche Telekom, Ericsson, Intel, Qualcomm, PSA Group and Samsung.