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The Australian 5G Innovation Initiative supports trials of new and exciting 5G technologies, driving productivity and growth across Australia in key industry sectors including agriculture, mining, retail, medical technology, construction and manufacturing.
The initiative is an open, competitive grants program to help small to large businesses in Australia test and develop 5G uses, applications, services and products, including Internet of Things applications, which will help build Australia's 5G ecosystem.
Applications for Round 1 of the Australian 5G Innovation Initiative open on 19 February 2021, and close on 31 March 2021, more information here.
We commend the Commonwealth Government for both undertaking the 5G Innovation Initiative and providing this opportunity to engage on the design of this important activity to develop 5G testbeds and trials aiming to try new and innovative technology solutions by offering businesses the opportunity to identify problems and technological solutions that take advantage of 5G’s capabilities.
Recent research led by ITS Australia, delivered by the University of Melbourne and supported by the Department of Infrastructure, Regional Development, Transport and Communications through the iMOVE CRC reveal that cutting-edge digital communication technologies, allowing cars to intelligently interpret their surroundings and alert drivers to potential hazards, could reduce vehicle crashes by up to 78 per cent.
The eight-month project involved a comprehensive analysis of Victorian traffic accident data from 2006-2019 and state-of-the-art traffic micro-simulation studies from within the Australian Integrated Multimodal Ecosystem (AIMES).
Researchers focused on understanding cooperative intelligent transport system (C-ITS) technologies that would help drivers in eight main use cases offering benefits in a number of ways including; lane guidance, curve speed, collision avoidance, do not pass and blind spot warnings, intersection movement and right turn assistance, plus pedestrian safety messages.
Professor Majid Sarvi, Lead of Transport Technologies at the University of Melbourne said “Our analysis of Victorian Road Safety data shows that with eight significant connected safety focuses, we have the ability to reduce the incidence of crashes by up to 78 per cent and make vehicle transport safer for all road users.”
Traffic micro-simulation experiments were conducted in Melbourne’s arterial corridors within AIMES. Researchers concluded that if just 30 per cent of all vehicles on the roads were connected vehicles during peak hour, traffic congestion could be driven down by up to 11 per cent.
A separate network micro-simulation in Melbourne’s CBD during peak hour (pre-COVID-19) found that average travel speeds could improve by up to 10 per cent if a fifth of cars were connected vehicles.
While this research covered a range of communications protocols including DSRC, Cellular V2X and 5G applications were included and there are a number of serious benefits including safety and efficiency that we feel would be important to consider as potential use cases for trials in the scope of the Initiative as well as the already identified freight and logistics areas.
Intelligent transport systems (ITS) enabled by new technologies such as 5G encompass road and rail networks which can exchange information with other vehicles and their surroundings. The driver, or in the near future an automated system, can exchange information on incidents that may put at risk the vehicle and its passengers, such as collisions with other vehicles, road works, weather conditions, etc. Connected and automated transport is among the new and revolutionary services that 5G connectivity will fully enable.
To provide examples of a range of areas where 5G activation could offer connectivity through V2X and other C-ITS applications ITS Australia member Kapsch has provided the attached document offering an overview of both the systems and operations and 5G applications that could support a range of important use cases.
If there is interest in a more detailed briefing of the research referenced or in-depth information on some of the examples included that highlights some real-world applications of 5G please contact Stacey Ryan, Policy Manager ITS Australia by email or on 03 9646 6466.
Read more of ITS Australia's Statements & Submissions
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