Vodafone has installed a private 5G network across the Weissach Development Centre of German automobile manufacturer Porsche. The new network will be used to improve the framework conditions for the strategic development of new vehicle systems and functions across the Weissach campus, Vodafone said in a statement.

The 5G standalone network will enable network slicing technology, which is vital for the automotive industry. This means that Vodafone and Porsche can provide small sub-networks with guaranteed bandwidths and latency times for certain events and projects at the Development Centre.

Work on the 5G network for the outdoor areas of the Weissach Development Centre was completed in August. Two mobile communications stations and several antennae provide fast network coverage for the entire premises. The next stage is to expand 5G to the facility’s indoor areas. The first area will be the electronics integration centre, where high-performance data exchange will be made possible via the 5G network with the aid of special indoor antennae.

“In future, it will be possible to test developments on the basis of the new mobile communications standard in the electronics labs at the Weissach Development Centre and the results can then be verified on site on the test tracks in real conditions. This saves time during the testing stage, which in turn means we can reduce development times for new vehicle systems,” said André Schlufter, Connectivity and SIM Manager at Porsche AG. Visitors and partners of the Weissach Development Centre will also benefit from the high-performance, high-speed 5G connection as Porsche and Vodafone have designed the network to be publically available.

“We have enjoyed a successful partnership with Vodafone, for example in motorsport, and now we are amplifying this and expanding it to new areas with the 5G network in Weissach. Improving infrastructure is an important step for our future, as networking and digitalisation will be hugely important in the vehicles of tomorrow, both in terms of development as well as with regard to later operation on the road,” said Michael Steiner, member of the Porsche AG Executive Board for Research and Development.