Ericsson and Unikie are collaborating to trial automated factory parking with Ericsson’s 5G standalone (SA) private network. Unikie develops software for real-time autonomous operation and process management in automotive and industrial solutions, including automated factory parking and valet parking.
At the test facility in Turku, Finland, vehicles are remotely controlled through an Ericsson 5G private network utilizing edge computing and Unikie’s Automated Factory Parking (AFP) solution. As a result, vehicle logistic management at the factory can be fully automated due to reliable connectivity, low latency to meet safety requirements, and the high-security standards of the 5G private network, per the partners.
As cars roll off the production line, drivers move cars to a parking area before being shipped which takes approximately 30 minutes. With Unikie’s AFP solution of sensors and software, automakers can control and monitor the car-factory route and automate parking. Automakers benefit from identifying the exact location of parked vehicles, which decreases search time and labor costs. With precision parking, the parking space is optimized up to 20%. An additional benefit is increased safety for onsite staff and minimum vehicle-parking accidents, they claim. Other use cases for this technology include airport parking, shopping malls, and logistic hubs.
Vesa Kiviranta, chief business officer, automotive at Unikie says, “Together with Ericsson, we can support the reliability and performance requirements critical for large automotive manufacturers and other industries with vast logistics areas. Controlled autonomous vehicles onsite are efficient and safe not only for the entire automotive production ecosystem but for all logistic ecosystems.”
“5G private networks enable automotive manufacturers to increase productivity, reduce costs, and improve worker safety," adds Jan Diekmann, Ericsson technical account manager. "Combined with Unikie’s automated factory-parking solution, vehicle logistics are transformed. It is exciting to be a part of this project.”
