Can 6G Network End Urban Congestion?

Within the next ten years, 6G will be available. Experts expect 6G to be 100 times faster than 5G, which is bigger than the jump from 4G to 5G. But the real value of 6G lies in ultra-low latency. The latency of 5G network is about 5 milliseconds, while the delay of 6G network may be as low as 100 microseconds. This means that the data transfer rate of the 6G network is 50 times faster than that of 5G. This ultra-low latency is critical for communication between autonomous vehicles, helping to ease traffic congestion.

While we are constantly building new road infrastructure or expanding existing infrastructure, these efforts have fallen far short of demand. According to the "Monitoring Report on Commuter Time Consumption in Major Cities in China" released by the China Urban Planning and Design Institute, the average one-way commuting time for commuters in major cities across the country is 36 minutes, of which the average commuting time in megacities is 41 minutes. As a megacity, Beijing's average commute time and average distance are more prominent than other cities of the same type. Specifically, the average commute distance in Beijing is 11.1 kilometers, and the average commute time is 47 minutes.

If we can somehow increase the speed to about 97 km/h, the average commute time will drop into a more acceptable range for people. Perhaps we could achieve this by adding more lanes to congested roads, but doing so has limited "effects".Smart transportation, so that the city is no longer congested

There are usually three reasons for traffic congestion: first, traffic lights and stop signs at intersections affect traffic flow; second, commuter routes and popular road sections are prone to congestion; third, the legendary "ghost traffic jam", when someone is in When some small disturbances, such as sudden braking on the highway, appear, there will be a snowball effect, causing the vehicles behind to have to stop.

City managers tried to alleviate the first problem with roundabouts and synchronized traffic lights. But roundabouts still slow traffic, and even the most synchronized traffic lights can't ensure that all drivers don't encounter red lights. While connected navigation apps can update road conditions in real time and help commuters avoid congested roads, sometimes there are no alternative routes to choose from. Advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), which help prevent situations such as sudden braking, may alleviate potential ghost traffic jams, but they won't completely eliminate its effects.

How to break the game?

6G networks and self-driving cars could solve the problem of traffic congestion. Imagine a future world where every vehicle on city roads is a self-driving car, and vehicle-to-vehicle communication is possible. This kind of communication requires large bandwidth, which happens to be met by the 6G network.

How can these technologies reduce commute time?
For example, with 6G networks, people can take self-driving cars to work without encountering a red light. If traffic lights in a city can update their status to a central server, and cars can get the status of traffic lights in real time, the car can speed up or slow down accordingly while driving to ensure that the light is always green when it reaches an intersection.

If we imagine it further, there may not even be a need for traffic lights. When the roads are full of self-driving cars, and vehicle-to-vehicle communication is possible over 6G networks, then they can coordinate with each other to navigate intersections. For example, as a car approaches an intersection, it can adjust its speed as needed and then cut through the flow of traffic. Even without traffic lights, traffic can flow unimpeded.

vehicle real-time communication


Self-driving cars can also communicate in real-time to determine which roads have good traffic conditions. Even better, self-driving cars eliminate the need for private cars. When employees arrive at the company, the car they are in can pick up another passenger. This will dramatically reduce the number of cars on the road and the number of parking spaces needed in cities, benefiting everyone on multiple levels.

Under normal circumstances, because the autonomous vehicle can detect the emergency braking of the vehicle ahead and make a reasonable response, it can reduce the occurrence of "ghost traffic jam". With the blessing of the 6G network, when the car has to make an emergency brake, it can also send its status and road condition information to the vehicles behind, so that they can be notified in advance and have enough time to respond, so as to avoid "ghost traffic jams" ". Under normal circumstances, emergency braking itself is not necessary.

The near real-time vehicle-to-vehicle communication provided by 6G networks is key to enabling these solutions. A car traveling at nearly 97 km/h can travel about 27 meters in 1 second, so the vehicle has only a fraction of a second to take safe action, otherwise a collision will occur. In practical applications, 6G will prevent communication delays and increase the vehicle's reaction time.

Self-driving cars can also communicate in real-time to determine which roads have good traffic conditions. Even better, self-driving cars eliminate the need for private cars. When employees arrive at the company, the car they are in can pick up another passenger. This will dramatically reduce the number of cars on the road and the number of parking spaces needed in cities, benefiting everyone on multiple levels.

Under normal circumstances, because the autonomous vehicle can detect the emergency braking of the vehicle ahead and make a reasonable response, it can reduce the occurrence of "ghost traffic jam". With the blessing of the 6G network, when the car has to make an emergency brake, it can also send its status and road condition information to the vehicles behind, so that they can be notified in advance and have enough time to respond, so as to avoid "ghost traffic jams" ". Under normal circumstances, emergency braking itself is not necessary.

The near real-time vehicle-to-vehicle communication provided by 6G networks is key to enabling these solutions. A car traveling at nearly 97 km/h can travel about 27 meters in 1 second, so the vehicle has only a fraction of a second to take safe action, otherwise a collision will occur. In practical applications, 6G will prevent communication delays and increase the vehicle's reaction time.