Although China is a leader in the development and implementation of 5G technologies, the protracted trade war with the United States and its allies may lead to the ousting of advanced developments in the PRC from the market of solutions for connecting to the network of smart cars of the next generation.

Chinese companies have been working on the technology of interaction of cars using 5G networks for several years, while in the United States the corresponding standard was adopted only last year. At the same time, the United States and its allies are gradually moving to non-market methods of regulating this market.

The use of 5G in cars in the future will make driving safer, more comfortable and, someday, completely autonomous. It is possible to prevent accidents due to the notification of each other by cars about the direction of movement. Pedestrian safety will also be enhanced by receiving traffic alerts on smartphones, and traffic lights and even smart road signs will be able to receive real-time data to prevent congestion and other traffic violations.

Ford spokesman Wesley Sherwood said in some Chinese cities “consumers are already using the technology to get red traffic lights and other notifications. We believe technology has global potential».

So far, the ultimate goal of building an autonomous network for cars that independently coordinate traffic on the roads seems very distant, including due to the risk of hacker interference. Nevertheless, work in this direction is being carried out quite actively. Last November, the FCC voted to allocate a portion of the radio spectrum for the C-V2X communications standard developed by Qualcomm. It involves the interaction of cars with any other electronics. Using already existing mobile networks, the C-V2X can interact with all kinds of devices.

The PRC has already been working on related services for several years. Initially, it was planned to use 4G networks, now the transition to fifth generation communication technologies is underway. It is believed that China is one of the leading countries in this area. In particular, China is so far the only country in which cars that support the C-V2X standard are already sold and used.

Last year, the state-controlled FAW Group Corp. and BYD Co., backed by American billionaire Warren Buffett, has released C-V2X-enabled models based on Chinese hardware. Ford followed suit with the Explorer and Edge models with C-V2X for China. In some areas of the cities of Wuxi and Changsha, these cars can receive information about the optimal speed in order to get to the green traffic light. In the US, Ford does not intend to release C-V2X models until 2022.

In Europe, Audi, BMW and Daimler are working on equipping cars with new technology. One of the projects with the participation of European automakers and Huawei provides for remote control of a car to transport citizens who do not have the right or the ability to drive a vehicle.

In Japan, Subaru and SoftBank have been testing C-V2X-compatible vehicles since last November. For example, on the experimental Subaru track, a model is being worked out when a car drives into the main road from a secondary road, having received “permission” from other cars.

Nevertheless, the leading role of the PRC in developing the technological basis for such technologies and 5G may cause some problems with their implementation. The United States and its allies have restricted the use of Chinese equipment on 5G networks. Allowing major telecom equipment suppliers to have any control over any part of 5G networks creates an unacceptable national security risk, according to US State Department spokesman Ned Price. Japan has officially announced the need to take seriously the risks of 5G hacking to control transport and is developing its own equipment compatible with fifth generation communications.

According to US media reports, a Chinese representative in a speech on 5G technologies has already stated that “The creation of barriers or the abuse of the concept of national security to put pressure on individual countries is contrary to the basic laws of scientific progress and common interests.”