International research project 5G-Blueprint kicks off collaboration

September 21, 2020 - Today, the international research project ‘5G-Blueprint', a public-private partnership involving parties from the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland and the Czech Republic, has its official collaboration kick-off in the (virtual) presence of EU representatives. The project partners are to discuss the 3 years project goals and expectations of the various stakeholders. The 28 consortium partners will investigate how to increase the efficiency of transport and logistics - also across borders - using ‘tele-operation’ technology.

The parties involved will investigate how real-time data exchange from and to vehicles, between terminals and vehicles and between vehicles and control rooms can help boost efficiency in the supply chain and compensate for driver shortages through the remote operation and support of vehicles and vessels. This is expected to not only improve the accessibility of the important –North Sea Port (Vlissingen – Terneuzen – Gent) - Antwerp logistics corridor, but also to increase employment and strengthen the competitive position. The use of new 5G telecommunication technology is instrumental in these plans.

New standard

The 5G-Blueprint project involves an investigation into digital technologies and telecommunication possibilities and examines issues such as security, costs and benefits, allocation of responsibilities, cooperation and standardisation. The insights and lessons from this three-year project will be applied directly in this region wherever possible. But they are also important as a new standard and working method - as a blueprint - for other domains and sectors.

Four use cases

5G-Blueprint will be demonstrated through four use cases: (1) Automated Barge Control, (2) Automated driver-in-loop docking functionality, (3) Cooperative Adaptive Cruise Control (CACC) based platooning and (4) Remote take-over operations. Within this context, the results of the project’s technical demonstration and validation will be used as an input for profound analysis and definition of governance and business models.

Who’s in?

The 5G-Blueprint project is led by Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management and technically coordinated by the Belgian research institute Interuniversitair Micro-Electronica Centrum (imec), counting 28 public and private partners from the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland and the Czech Republic. The project is part of the 5G Infrastructure Public Private Partnership (5G PPP) initiative third phase. This is a joint initiative between the European Commission and European ICT industry (ICT manufacturers, telecommunications operators, service providers, SMEs and researcher Institutions) and will closely liaise with the 5G PPP community of researchers, industry and SMEs at work to deploy 5G Core Technologies innovation and 5G for Connected and Automated Mobility for the benefit of the European society and communities.