Ford Motor to test C-V2X-enabled V2I function in Changsha

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Ford Motor's China branch announced earlier this week that it will begin testing the V2I (Vehicle-to-Infrastructure) function based on C-V2X (cellular vehicle-to-everything) technology in Changsha, capital of Hunan province, another city following Wuxi where Ford works on boosting the commercial application of the advanced communications technology.

The automaker said it will make joint efforts with Hunan Xiangjiang Intelligent Science and Technology Innovation Center Co., Ltd. (called "Xiangjiang Intelligence" for short) to test V2I function on the designated roads opened for ICV testing. The function is set to be launched to car owners for trial use at the end of this year through OTA updates of the SYNC+, Ford's in-vehicle communications and infotainment system. 

As part of preparations for mass producing the first C-V2X-powered model in China next year, Ford Motor will continue to optimize the function according to users' responses and update it using OTA.

Located at Hunan Xiangjaing New Area, Changsha's ICV testing zone contains China's first open route for the demonstration of smart buses, a 100-km-long smart expressway and 100-square-kilometer urban roads powered by V2I infrastructures.

Xiangjiang Intelligence will contribute to the cooperation the intelligent infrastructures in Changsha's urban area and a smart transportation cloud control platform, in a bid to enable the two way communication among vehicles, infrastructures and the cloud-based platform.

The to-be-launched V2I function will be deeply integrated with the smart navigation feature of the SYNC+ system, so as to warn drivers of the status of the traffic light ahead and the information about speed limit, dangerous road sections and temporary constructions, the company said. By virtue of relevant algorithm and the analysis of road infrastructure updates, the V2I-enabled system is able to inform drivers of the optimal advisory speed limit so that they can directly drive through intersections without any delay (photo source: Ford China's WeChat account).