5G for autonomous driving: safety and approval
The remote monitoring of Level-4 vehicles requires stable and low-latency communication solutions. NTT has introduced a package that bundles multipath control, quality forecasting and real-time data coupling to fulfill these requirements. Both Japan and Germany allow Level-4 operations under conditions that require external technical oversight or remote monitoring. The central challenge is to maintain data and video streams even under changing cell conditions, network fluctuations, or high radio traffic.
Quelle: Custom View
Introduction
Level 4 refers to highly automated driving, where the system fully takes over the driving task within a defined operating design domain (ODD), without a human driver onboard or needing to intervene. SAE J3016 defines this. Remote Monitoring means the continuous monitoring of status, position and video feeds of a driverless vehicle from a control center. Japan's legal framework introduces a Specified Automated Operation (SAO) requiring a license, as the Japanese police authority explains. Japanese police authority explains. Network stabilization includes the parallel use of multiple lines (multipath), predictive switching based on radio quality forecast and prioritization via 5G network slicing, embedded in the 5G standalone core. May Mobility NTT demonstrated this. Edge computing (MEC) brings data processing closer to the vehicle and is standardized with V2X interfaces to reliably operate services even during handover and load, as described. ETSI describes.
Fundamentals
Germany became the first country in 2021 to legally enable Level-4 operation in defined operating areas. The Regulation specifies technical supervision, IT security and operating permission. Japan allowed driverless Level-4 services in 2023; Eiheiji was the first location to receive authorization, later followed by other areas, as the METI reported. The Japanese police authority describes the SAO permission process including remote monitoring and supervision. In an L4 overview, it lists the control-room operation with a ratio of one supervisor for three vehicles as a practical example. JASIC The control-room operation with a ratio of 'one supervisor for three vehicles' as a practical example.
Quelle: elektroniknet.de
The different levels of automated driving illustrate the gradual development toward fully autonomous driving.
Current status & technology
Technically demonstrated by NTT Com, NTT DOCOMO and May Mobility in 2025 that 5G slicing plus packet prioritization ("5G Wide") kept the required uplink rate stable over 96% of the route – compared to 73% with conventional connectivity. This comes from a May Mobility report. NTT's announced solution bundles three building blocks: radio quality forecast (Cradio), multipath control (Cooperative Infrastructure Platform) and real-time data coupling via intdash. In tests, adherence to a 400-ms video delay threshold rose from 95% to 99%, as reported. May Mobility report This. NTT's announced solution bundles three building blocks: radio quality forecasting (Cradio), multipath control (Cooperative Infrastructure Platform) and real-time data coupling via intdash. In tests, adherence to a 400-ms delay threshold for video rose from 95% to 99%, as reported. NTT NTT describes field tests where the platform proactively balanced fluctuations. 5G slicing and URLLC enhancements in 3GPP Release 16/17 are the network functions the basis for such prioritizations and latency targets, as explained. 5G Americas explains.
Quelle: vision-mobility.de
Test vehicles like this from Magna demonstrate the integration of 5G networks for autonomous driving systems.
Analysis & Implications
Regulatory bodies require reliable remote monitoring and responsible technical supervision for L4 operations. Breaks in video or data endanger operation and approval, as the Japanese police authority and the telecom providers emphasize. Japanese police authority and the BMV emphasize. 3GPP and ETSI show. Cities and operators benefit when control centers can securely monitor more vehicles per supervisor – this reduces costs and scales operations, as JASIC explains. For NTT, the IOWN framework: photonics-assisted, more deterministic transport networks and radio coordination (Cradio) aim for lower latency and more stable throughputs, as NTT reports. The Clip shows an L4 demonstration drive in Eiheiji and makes the role of the control center in approved operation tangible, as the METI reports.
Quelle: YouTube
It is documented that Japan and Germany allow L4 under conditions; Japan requires SAO authorization with remote monitoring, Germany requires technical supervision, as the Japanese police authority and the BMV confirm. It is also shown that NTT's solution combines radio quality forecasting, multipath control and real-time data coupling; in the test, adherence to a 400-ms video threshold rose to 99%, as NTT states. Furthermore, it is shown that 5G-Slicing stabilized the uplink along 96% of the route in an L4 demo by DOCOMO/NTT Com/May Mobility, as May Mobility reports. It is unclear whether uniform, internationally binding minimum values for latency and packet loss of control-room streams are already globally harmonized in detail; WP.29/GRVA is working on guidelines, but country-specific requirements vary, as the UNECE shows. The claim that slicing does not require 5G-SA is false, as network slicing is a 5G standalone function and builds on a 5G core; exactly this is highlighted by the cited demo, as May Mobility and 5G Americas demonstrate.
Industry voices welcome national L4 regulations, such as Mobileye to German legislation as a doorway to everyday operation. The German industry association stresses the requirements for technical supervision, including communication and interaction duties, as the VDA explains. From research and standardization comes the note that MEC handover, migration and peak loads challenge the guarantees for safety applications and must be robustly solved, as ScienceDirect and PMC illustrate.
Quelle: business-tips.de
Stable and low-latency connectivity is essential for the safety and approval of autonomous vehicles.
If L4 pilots are planned, it is advisable to assess early how control-center streams are prioritized and stabilized across networks. Multipath across public 5G, local 5G and Wi-Fi, plus predictive handover reduces video dropouts during cell changes, as NTT reports. It is advisable to inquire about 5G-SA slicing profiles for uplink video/telemetry and edge connectivity to standardized V2X services, such as May Mobility and ETSI suggest. For approval it helps to adhere closely to national guidelines and clearly document the roles of the technical supervision, as the BMV and the Japanese police authority emphasize. For the data architecture, a streaming backbone like intdash is suitable, which ingests high sensor data rates in real time, as Aptpod describes. The Short video outlines how partnerships between AV providers and network operators scale L4 services – helpful for the project overview, as May Mobility shows.
Quelle: YouTube
Outlook
Open questions concern the binding SLAs for latency, jitter and packet loss that regulators will require in the future, and how operators measure them along entire routes under load, as the UNECE raises. It remains to be seen whether the supervisory ratio of 1:3 remains a rule of thumb or evolves to a higher ratio with more automation and better network density, as JASIC discusses. Additionally, it is unclear how far photonics networks (IOWN) and radio quality forecasts help guarantee more deterministic end-to-end latencies over wireless and fiber, as NTT is studied.
Without proactive network stabilization, L4 remote monitoring is an Achilles heel – legally required, technically demanding. The combination of 5G-SA slicing, multipath, and edge processing reduces the risk of video stuttering and data gaps noticeably, as demos and current product announcements show, as May Mobility and NTT show. For implementation this means: talk early with network planners, define measurement points, use standards – then L4 will not only be approved but also practical for everyday use, as ETSI and the BMV suggest.