Haifeng Huang

Recently, after attended the Auto Show in Shanghai, I felt the hotness of single-vehicle automatic driving but also found that C-V2X (cellular vehicle-to-everything) vehicle-road synergy has attracted much attention.

C-V2X, based on 4G/5G, is the key technology enabling intelligent transportation and autonomous driving. Both modes can drive the development of autonomous driving, whether from C-V2X or independent vehicle intelligence. If the two are integrated, they can complement each other and provide a more secure and reliable balanced solution.

At present, a large number of enterprises have announced the creation of vehicles, the development of automatic driving, at the same time, the domestic C-V2X network is hot construction. What about C-V2X? What are the challenges? As far as I know, C-V2X is developing rapidly, but there are many serious problems to be solved, one of which is the lack of a network test solution.

To understand the development of the Internet of Vehicles, recently came to Deqing, Zhejiang. The government is building a city-wide demonstration area for autonomous driving and smart travel. Here, I have experienced the latest C-V2X network test solution, which consists of the network test terminal T-BOX, the test software GENEX Probe and GPS.

I was wondering: How can this test solution support the construction of C-V2X networks in the industry? What are the advantages and impacts on the V2X industry?

Test in person: C-V2X network test solution is of great importance.

The C-V2X network is being rapidly built-in Deqing, Zhejiang, where a large number of RSUs (roadside units) have been deployed. I also saw a large number of RSUs, white "small boxes", placed side by side with surveillance cameras, on the light poles along the roads in Deqing.

The role of RSUs can be similar to the base stations of operators, but the RSU is smaller in size and mainly responsible for sending useful information from the road or upper platform to the driving vehicle so that the vehicle and the road can communicate together to build smart cars and smart roads.

As we all know, the communication network is the basis for installing the applications. Constructing a high-quality communication network can ensure secure and reliable V2X（vehicle-to-everything） applications in the future. Therefore, the constructors and operators of the C-V2X network should perform a large number of testing and optimizations on the network to ensure that the network meets the requirements of the V2X.

To build secure and reliable V2X, many C-V2X networks being built in Deqing, Zhejiang. The net will make better use of the Single-vehicle sensor and bring a" God's view" to cars.

Huawei, a supplier of end-to-end solutions for C-V2X vehicle-to-road collaboration, is assisting the government of Deqing in building the C-V2X network. To fully meet the network testing and acceptance requirements of the project, China Mobile Research Institute & Huawei have jointly developed a new network test solution.

In Deqing, I not only experienced the C-V2X network test solution on the spot but also obtained a valuable analysis report containing a large amount of data after the test. These data and analysis reports can help the C-V2X network operators to effectively measure network quality and check network performance.

Specifically, the report statistics and analyzes performance test results of RSUs and other equipment, which can help C-V2X operators understand the performance of the existing equipment installed in the project, and evaluate the rationality of the installation quality and deployment location of the existing equipment. To provide corresponding data support and examples for the subsequent deployment of RSUs on open roads, and improve the vehicle-road collaboration solution on open roads.

The ultimate solution: Clarify both the process and the result.

The C-V2X network test is of great importance. What was unique about China Mobile Research Institute & Huawei C-V2X network test solution I experienced? Looking at the C-V2X network test solutions in the industry, I found three solutions:

The first solution is the physical layer testing, which focuses on the signal quality of the network itself. It measures the network from the perspective of the network itself, such as the signal strength of the network and whether there is interference. The most typical one is to use the scanner for testing. At present, this test solution is still in the early stage of development.

The second solution is application layer testing, which focuses on the experience of end users. The solution measures the network from the perspective of experience, such as whether the delay of receiving data through the network is high or not, and the success rate of receiving data through the network.

This test solution is similar to the speed test of the 5G network by Speedtest software. After the test, it can only tell you whether the network speed is good or not. Professionally, the solution does not belong to the scope of the network planning and optimization test solution. At present, there are some manufacturers in the market to develop this solution.

The above two solutions represent two technical directions, but each has its disadvantages. The physical layer test can only explain whether the network itself is good or not, but it can’t explain the experience of end users clearly. It is equivalent to only clarify the process but not the final result. The application layer test can only explain whether the network experience is good or not, but it can’t explain the detailed information of the network and it can’t explain what the next step should be when the network experience is poor. It is equivalent to only clarify the result but not the process.

The third solution is China Mobile Research Institute & Huawei C-V2X network test solution based on real terminals. It can simulate V2X users on actual roads to test the coverage and data receiving and sending performance of the C-V2X network. This solution can test both the physical layer and the application layer. It is the ultimate solution for C-V2X network optimization testing. It can explain both the process and the result clearly.

Based on C-V2X terminals, this solution can simulate V2X users on actual roads, test the network, collect the key indicators such as user experience delay, reliability, and so on. It can also obtain detailed measurement results of terminals and networks, and support tests from the physical layer to the application layer. The solution provided by China Mobile Research Institute and Huawei has filled the technical gap in the industry. In addition, based on the data receiving and transmitting performance of road test and network measurement results, when the data receiving and transmitting performance problems of the application layer appear, the solution can drill down to analyze and locate the problem.

Compared with the 5G network optimization test solution based on 5G mobile phones, this solution is the ultimate solution for the C-V2X network optimization test. Currently, except China Mobile Research Institute and Huawei, mainstream DT vendors in the industry cannot implement the third solution, that is, the C-V2X network test solution based on C-V2X terminals.

Integration of the single-vehicle solution and the C-V2X test solution accelerates the development of autonomous driving.

Currently, the V2X industry is booming, and hundreds of C-V2X networks are under construction. As for the value that the test solution can bring to the V2X industry, Yinxu Chen, the general manager of Huawei B.E.S.T. network, told me that China Mobile Research Institute & Huawei C-V2X network test solution can comprehensively measure network connection quality and experience. This solution solves the problem that the industry lacks test solutions, helps build reliable and efficient C-V2X networks, and improves driving safety and driving efficiency.

"In addition, based on the test results, Huawei will further provide the assurance solution of vehicle-route collaboration to ensure the quality of the networks, help the V2X industry evolve from single-vehicle autonomous driving to C-V2X autonomous driving, and promote the rapid development of the V2X industry." Mr. Chen said.

However, I am curious about why China Mobile Research Institute & Huawei has developed such an excellent solution. Yinxu Chen shared that over the past 20 years, Huawei B.E.S.T. Network has been dedicated to helping operators build networks with a high-quality experience, focusing on research and analysis of wireless network performance.

"Huawei B.E.S.T. network has conducted tens of millions of tests worldwide, with a test mileage of more than 1 billion kilometers, helping operators around the world to build more than 400 networks with a high-quality experience. Huawei has accumulated a lot of successful experience in network planning and design, performance testing, and optimization, and experience assurance. "

Therefore, in the C-V2X network test, the B.E.S.T. network team fully leveraged E2E cross-domain collaboration advantages and integrated experience in multiple domains, including Hi-Silicon chips, Huawei terminals, wireless products, and government and enterprise services, to successfully build an industry-leading network test solution.

As to what enterprises or organizations can China Mobile Research Institute & Huawei C-V2X network test solution be used, Mr. Chen said: "The test solution developed by China Mobile Research Institute & Huawei is mainly for partners in the V2X field. We also hope to promote the healthy development of the V2X ecosystem."

At present, there are two voices in the industry. They respectively think that the development path of the single-vehicle automatic driving and the C-V2X autonomous driving should be paid more attention to. What is the direction of autonomous driving in the future? According to Yinxu Chen, C-V2X is the foundation of the digital transformation of the transportation industry. It is also a technology that enables vehicle-road synergy and promotes the development of autonomous driving.

"Currently, autonomous driving is dominated by single-vehicle autonomous driving. In the future, C-V2X vehicle-road synergy and single-vehicle autonomous driving will complement each other to help autonomous driving make it safer, more reliable, and more efficient, and jointly promote the development of autonomous driving."

My observation: The C-V2X network needs a test solution for "process and result".

Through the on-site test experience and the interview with Huawei experts, I realized that the test solution is indispensable to build a reliable C-V2X network.

The C-V2X uses advanced wireless communications and a new generation of Internet technologies to implement d vehicle-vehicle, vehicle-road dynamic real-time information exchange. It can fully realize the effective coordination between people, vehicles, and roads, ensure traffic safety, improve traffic efficiency, and support the formation of a safe, efficient, and environmentally friendly road traffic system.

Data show that all countries have made path planning for V2X, the DSRC led by the United States has been abandoned by the industrial chain, and the C-V2X of China is expected to lead the world. In 2021, the C-V2X of China is moving from the introduction period to the industrial deployment period and is on the eve of the outbreak.

In the future, according to the , by 2025, the sales volume of intelligent networked vehicles at the PA (partial autonomous driving) and CA (conditional automatic driving) levels in China will account for more than 50% of the total sales volume of vehicles in that year. The assembly rate of new C-V2X terminals vehicles reaches 50%.

The test solution is indispensable to build a reliable C-V2X network. I believe that under the protection of advanced test solutions, the single-vehicle autonomous driving and the C-V2X autonomous driving collaboration can arrive at the driverless more quickly!