Ford Motor joins China’s first C-V2X cross-safety-platform interoperability test

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Ford Motor is carrying out the C-V2X (Cellular Vehicle-To-Everything)-based tests in Shanghai to demonstrate the interoperability crossing chipsets, terminals, complete vehicles and safety platforms, the first-of-its-kind tests taking place in China.

In September, 2018, the automaker successfully conducted tests of C-V2X technologies for the first time on public roads in China, as part of an ongoing pilot project in Wuxi, Jiangsu. Compared with the last year's test, the cross-safety-platform test has been newly added to validate a communications security mechanism amid the information exchange among vehicles or between a vehicle and infrastructures.

C-V2X technology can help make streets safer with vehicles that will be able to "talk" and "listen" to each other, pedestrians, cyclists and traffic lights, and supports the development of autonomous driving, said Ford Motor.

The latest move is regarded as a further step towards the C-V2X commercial deployment after the company tested several pre-commercial C-V2X-based functions in Wuxi in September, 2019.

The carmaker plans to begin deploying C-V2X technology in Ford vehicles in China in 2021, according to its previous statement.

Besides, the company is going to deeply integrate part of C-V2X-based in-car features and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) functions with Ford's new entertainment and vehicle information system “SYNC+” in the first half of 2020. The integrated fruit will be upgraded through OTA (over-the-air) and afterwards offered to users, who will be allowed to have trial driving on designated roads in Wuxi.

“C-V2X technology deployment is key to our 'In China, For China' strategy,” said Anning Chen, president and CEO of Ford China. “With China's fast 5G development, and our own rapid progress in C-V2X, we are working at China speed to equip our vehicles with C-V2X technology. Ford customers in China will be the first to receive the benefits of this smart technology, which will help make local streets safer and less congested.”(Photo source: Ford Motor's WeChat account)