Ford Motors Signs Up with Private 5G Network in Britain
Just recently, Ford Motors clinched a deal with technology company Vodafone to exclusively install a private 5G services. They will then set their networks up in the automaker’s electric vehicle battery manufacturing facility in Essex.
Experts believe that the move shows confidence in the manufacturing and automobile industries in the United Kingdom.
The current Wi-Fi networks in the car company’s offices aren’t sufficiently supporting the massive data load. This then prompted the company to take a huge step and seek a deal with Vodafone for faster data transfer power.
The automotive company’s R&D facility in Dunton will be a pioneer in the UK because of the upgrade.
Technology news reports say that Ford’s plan has backing from the British government. In fact, the government funded £2 million to help with a pilot trial earlier this year, at the company’s facilities.
The move is part of the £65 million plan from the automobile giant to invest in the latest 5G network.
Vodafone will reportedly install the said private network in the carmaker’s facilities by September. It will be linked to the R&D facility and the site will be held by the Cambridge company TWI.
According to the automobile maker, the motor and battery produced per electric vehicle require efficient internet connections. This is because it requires 1,000 welds, which generates half a million pieces of data per minute.
The existing network connections cannot support the required data load in the factory systems.
Ford 5GEM Manager Chris White said that the government’s support to 5G strengthens the industry amidst the coronavirus pandemic and Brexit. It also shows the initiative of authorities to support vast developments in modern technology in the United Kingdom.
5G Beneficiaries
Looking at the bigger picture, the automotive industry is widely expected to be the 5G networks’ biggest beneficiaries. It can speed up companies’ production as demand rises.
Aside from the United Kingdom, other countries have already expressed their interest in investing in the latest networking services.
Last year, Germany included other industries and companies such as automakers in its 5G network auction. Meanwhile, Ford’s rivals in the game have already invested in 5G services in other countries.
Toyota also reportedly signed a deal with Nokia to set up 5G networks at its Fukuoka manufacturing facility.
Vodafone UK chief technology officer, Scott Petty, said that Ford is one of their large-scale projects in the UK this year. He added that it’s an opportunity for the government to attract automobile markers to invest in Britain.
