Telia, Ericsson and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) have partnered to demo an autonomous passenger ferry in the Norwegian fjord city of Trondheim.
The small vessel, named MilliAmpère, transported passengers across Trondheim’s harbour canal, using Telia’s 5G network to transfer large amounts of data.
The self-driving ferry is equipped with sensors that record its surroundings and the steering system on board. The data is analysed to enable the vessel to find its own way and avoid obstacles. The distance to the quay is also measured so that the boat can safely moor itself.
In the event of an emergency, the vessel can also be remotely controlled from the control centre via the same mobile network.
Autonomous opportunities
Jon Christian Hillestad, head of the enterprise business Telia in Norway, said, “It is very exciting for us to work with the internationally leading academic community at NTNU for the development of autonomy in the maritime sector, and we are delighted to be able to contribute with new technology.
“This pilot is a very good example of how 5G can be used for something quite concrete.”
“Autonomous vehicles rely on superfast real-time data transmission and need both secure connection to the network and low latency, which is characteristic of 5G. This will be the first time we test 5G on self-driving vehicles in Norway, and we will gain valuable experience and knowledge of how the technology works for autonomous systems in transportation,” he added.
Telia has high expectations for autonomous vehicles, both on land, in the air and on sea, a statement from the company said.