We’ve been working with partners like the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) to take the idea of a connected vehicle ecosystem out of the lab and into the real world, focused on delivering a production-grade deployment to Colorado roadways. As was recently announced, Panasonic, Qualcomm Technologies, and Ford Motor Company have joined forces to debut Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything (C-V2X) direct communication technologies in Colorado – the first real-world deployment of its kind in this country.

What is the goal of the connected highway system we’re building? To improve roadway safety, lower fuel consumption and reduce congestion. Panasonic’s connected vehicle data platform will collect and disseminate real-time V2X data to provide roadway operators with improved situational awareness and a new ability to share safety critical information directly with vehicles.

This collaboration with CDOT, enabled by the Panasonic, Qualcomm Technologies, and Ford Motor Company partnership, is an exciting step towards early commercialization of C-V2X in a real-world setting at scale, setting the stage for the technology to achieve commercial readiness.

C-V2X directly connects vehicles to each other, infrastructure and people, transforming the transportation experience and paving the road to tomorrow’s autonomous vehicles. C-V2X provides an alternate radio technology to the WiFi-based radio technology known as Dedicated Short-Range Radio Communications (DSRC). C-V2X direct communications is designed to work in ITS spectrum, and its reduced time to deployment is afforded by a radio swap-out, reusing many years of V2X applications research, development and pilot deployment investment. It can benefit from established security and transport layers and application protocols defined by the automotive standards communities. It enables direct communications independent of cellular network coverage or network operator involvement. C-V2X is a modern radio technology that has evolved from mobile LTE Direct technology and optimized for automotive applications. Momentum continues to build around C-V2X because of its superior performance, and 5G compatibility.

Here are four more tech acronyms related to C-V2X that will soon enter the mainstream vernacular as the Intelligent Roadway System rapidly advances.

1. PC5: AKA sidelink for V2V, V2I and V2P
PC5 may sound like the latest video game console to top your kid’s Christmas list, but this short range direct communication interface is the secret sauce that sets C-V2X apart. Unlike DSRC, which employs technology derived from what’s in the Wi-Fi router in your home, PC5 is designed to benefit from advances in LTE technology to offer increased communication range (~2X), better non-line-of-sight (NLOS) performance, enhanced reliability, higher capacity, and better congestion control in denser environments. PC5 gives the capability to our transportation system to maintain the connectivity that moving vehicles require – and which is needed for safety-critical communication.

C-V2X has the capability of network communications in addition to direct communications, giving roadway operators state-of-the-art ability to deliver safety and mobility applications and services, in a manner that is cost-efficient.

2. V2N – Vehicle to Network
Not all in-vehicle communication is urgent – sometimes drivers just want to know which route will speed up their morning commute. Vehicle-to-network (V2N) systems connect vehicles to the cellular infrastructure and the cloud so drivers can enjoy connected tech like traffic updates and travel notifications. By leveraging existing cellular networks and mobile ecosystem support, C-V2X offers new business models and economic benefits, which is likely to expedite the deployment of C-V2X-equipped vehicles.

3. 5G – Fifth generation wireless
If you’ve got a device with internet access, you’ve probably heard of 5G, but not necessarily how it’s going to revolutionize driving as we know it. In the very near future, 5G will be the backbone of how we all communicate with each other and our “things,” and this can include safety in between vehicles. C-V2X today provides an evolutionary step towards the use of 5G tomorrow. The benefits of this evolution will include an agnostic, backwards compatible platform that ensures road operators and OEM’s can cost effectively take advantage of new advances in 5G wireless communications.

4. FOTA – Firmware over-the-air
Cars that can talk to each other understandably raise concerns about cybersecurity. One of the key ways to prevent attacks is to update software regularly, and that’s where Firmware Over-the-Air (FOTA) works its magic. Already an established cloud technology for mobile phones, its application to the automotive world helps to tackle the rapid evolution of connected car systems. FOTA can update a car’s software anywhere – at the showroom, in the garage, on the road. As our vehicles become more computer than machine, FOTA is one of the critical mechanisms for maintaining an up-to-date, secure system more effectively.

Utilities play a unique role in communications infrastructure and have had a long-standing impact on their communities through innovation.

In Colorado Springs, the municipality-owned utility company is heavily engaged in smart city efforts. Colorado Springs Utilities is partnering with the city to develop an advanced metering system that is future proof, enlisting Panasonic’s leadership in both global smart city initiatives and specialty sensors, to collaborate on an implementation strategy that taps integrated technology and the Internet of Things (IoT).

Itron, known for innovating the way utilities and cities manage energy and water, has achieved success working with cities and utility companies to deploy network infrastructure that can be shared to manage streetlights, find water and methane leaks and usage anomalies, detect and locate gunshots and more. Harnessing the power of IoT, utilities can monitor conditions in real time, while cities and the people living in them benefit from real-time information and the ability to make decisions based on data.

At the heart of smart cities is data, and the equipment, such as sensors, that constantly generate data streams and serve them up across the network for consumption. As urban areas and companies collaborate to deploy IoT technology and leverage data for a range of city services, they face inherent challenges, from increasing costs, siloed city departments and technical complexities. A recent study on disruptive technology by Panasonic found that as organizations adopt next-gen tech, there are additional obstacles including a lack of skilled employees and lack of expertise for effective implementation. In fact, half of the companies surveyed believe they might need a partner to guide them on how best to adopt and integrate these solutions into their business.

Here are four best practices that Panasonic and Itron have learned from real-world experience, that help cities work smarter, not harder:

1. Integrate technology

When you’re leveraging disruptive technologies, such as specialized sensors, data storage and face the challenges brought on by the Internet of Things (IoT), there’s a very real need to integrate these technologies into a unified, standard, simple and secure platform with a rich ecosystem.  

City departments responsible for services such as lighting, traffic or transportation are often siloed with no mechanism for cross-department collaboration. Creating a shared network infrastructure enables these groups to leverage resources to increase efficiency, reduce cost and provide better services.

Cities like Glasgow are meeting their objectives by integrating multiple city services on a common platform, using one network canopy for several applications. Bringing data from many devices onto a common platform enables new approaches in distributed intelligence and real time analytics. 

2. Leverage data 

All the information and insights being collected by all those sensors is only valuable if its actionable. Successful smart city initiatives typically determine what value will be derived from the data, whether public or private, which data should be open, and how the data is to be managed and governed. 

In many cases, it can make sense to promote an open data platform. Social media is connecting city leaders to its citizens more than ever. Many cities are looking to share data sets from across the city with individuals, businesses and research facilities to help improve quality of life and foster innovation.

Create a culture that encourages developers. It’s hard to predict what the ‘killer apps’ that improve city services will be. Success will require building an ecosystem of developers leveraging open standards and nurturing their ability to disrupt.

3. Ensure reliability 

Conduct due diligence to research and select a smart grid/smart city technology partner. Set specific benchmarks and overall deployment goals to ensure technology will meet your needs.
Make sure to look for standard, secured, reliable and mature solutions.

To ensure fast results, begin with low-risk/high-return projects, such as networked LED street lighting, to quickly demonstrate public safety and operational benefits. Your community will instantly see the difference with better and more reliable street lighting, and you get immediate ROI with lower energy usage and drastically reduced maintenance.

4. Engage the community 

Community engagement is invaluable to a smart city initiative. Involve citizens from the start and empower local businesses and innovators to get involved by holding town hall sessions and leveraging social media. Publicize concrete statistics that demonstrate the success of your project along the way, such as operational savings, reduced energy needs and improved customer satisfaction.

In Colorado Springs, city officials initiated open discussions with the community via a live web link that enables citizens to provide feedback on what they would like to see in areas like smart mobility, sustainability and other city services. Creating an ongoing dialogue with the public creates a sense of ownership within the community, keeping leaders focused on projects that will improve the lives of citizens.