LG Electronics (LG) is ramping up efforts in the development of traffic safety solutions using vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communications.
V2X enables vehicles to communicate with each other and with surrounding infrastructure, playing a vital role in the future of autonomous driving.
In collaboration with the Seoul Metropolitan Government, LG has successfully implemented an advanced accident prevention system and validated its effectiveness and usefulness in school zones in Seoul, Korea, as part of the 'Seoul Smart ITS 2.0 Deployment Project.' The project involved the deployment of LG's proprietary 5G Network-based V2X system called 'Soft V2X.'
Soft V2X is a cloud-based service that collects and analyzes various data, such as the location, direction, and speed of pedestrians and vehicles. This data is used to provide real-time notifications to drivers and vulnerable road users about potential traffic safety risks.
Additionally, the solution can communicate information about nearby road conditions and traffic signals by connecting with smart Roadside Units (RSU) equipped with AI cameras. The user-friendly Soft V2X app can be easily installed via smartphone applications and integrated into various connected mobility devices, including e-bikes, e-scooters, motorbikes, as well as in-vehicle infotainment or telematics systems.
The recent demonstration took place in school zone areas encompassing two elementary schools and a kindergarten in Gangseo-gu, a suburb in western Seoul, involving a total of 6,700 participants. Over a six-month period, Soft V2X sent over 40,000 notifications to pedestrians and vehicles about potential traffic hazards. As a result, 74.8 percent of pedestrians and 68.4 percent of drivers and vulnerable road users took appropriate actions to avoid potential accidents, such as reducing their speed or changing their direction.
The project confirmed that Soft V2X, when combined with Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) infrastructure, can reliably deliver various traffic safety information and services. LG's solution also proved effective in raising users' awareness of traffic safety, reducing the risk of collisions, and encouraging people to exercise caution in real traffic environments.
LG took advantage of the 26th 5G Automotive Association (5GAA) Meeting held in Seoul on May 11 to invite 70 global automakers and industry experts to participate in the demonstration and experience Soft V2X firsthand. The attendees praised LG's solution, acknowledging the effectiveness of its real-time notifications in positively influencing behavior to ensure safety.
Moving forward, LG aims to enhance the usability of Soft V2X and refine its services based on feedback from project participants. In October, during a trial event at the upcoming 5GAA meeting in Detroit, USA, the company plans to introduce an advanced version of Soft V2X that can offer tailored services to meet the specific needs and demands of different markets.
Given the recent increase in interest in pedestrian safety, government-led discussions on the establishment of next-generation Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems (C-ITS), and other vertical industries, LG anticipates a strong interest in Soft V2X.
“We will secure technology leadership in cloud-based connected mobility platform for vehicle and pedestrian safety through continuous research and development,” said Je Yeong-ho, head of C&M Standard Lab. at LG Electronics.
