The 5G-EVER (5G Edge V2X Enhanced Revenue) project introduces an approach to smart mobility by enabling vehicles to autonomously activate and pay for transport services through Vehicle-to-Network (V2N) communication. This technology replaces traditional roadside infrastructure with a digital alternative that controls 5G connectivity, edge computing, and advanced positioning.
Led by A-to-Be, the project builds on existing V2X payment solutions and adapts them to operate over 5G networks. Integrating with Multi-access Edge Computing (MEC) allows transactions to be processed locally and in real-time ensuring reliability. The experiment is being deployed at the Portuguese IMAGINE-B5G test facility, which offers an environment that combine 5G connectivity with edge infrastructure and enhanced positioning capabilities. This setting enables the team to test realistic tolling scenarios, from open-road single-point tolls to more complex entry-exit systems, while addressing one of the challenges in V2X payments: precise and trustworthy vehicle localization.
Using 5G-enabled Onboard Units (OBUs), vehicles receive service announcements as they approach defined toll zones. Payment events are triggered, processed at the network edge as they enter or exit these zones, and confirmed in real time. This ensures transactions without relying on traditional roadside units, improving the adoption of connected mobility solutions. To ensure security, the system adopts the GN-V2XT protocol, which is aligned with European standards, and integrates with a public PKI to manage secure communications. Monitoring and evaluation are supported via the MOBICS 2.0 platform, enabling real-time tracking of KPIs such as latency, transaction success rate, and positioning precision.
The proposed solution is poised to impact IMAGINE-B5G on multiple levels:
Management Level: Lower the infrastructure operator’s cost per transaction by decreasing the initial cost of setting up a tolling infrastructure (CAPEX) and reducing human resources and energy consumption when operating the tolling infrastructure (OPEX).
Societal Level: Re-accelerating associated with a conventional toll reduces traffic congestion and contributes to additional CO2 emissions reduction associated with less congestion at the toll infrastructure as it will not disrupt traffic like a conventional toll.
Technical Level: The project covers User Devices, MEC, and cloud components, explores technical challenges related to positioning, and implements a valuable Use Case. Overcoming technical difficulties with positioning and introducing a capacity extension and redundancy through 5G network native capabilities will be one of the most relevant technical aspects of the project. Nevertheless, the adoption of a novel V2N payment ecosystem over 5G technology, fully based, integrated, and secured by ETSI ITS-G5 technology, including integration with an Open PKI, will bring together a set of novelties in the transport sector and shall be on its own, a valuable contribution to the V2X community.
Vertical Area(s): Demonstrates the “Improved localization mechanisms for transportation and logistics” use case within the Transports and Logistics vertical.
In summary, 5G-EVER showcases how secure and precise V2N payments over 5G can transform road mobility. Combining innovation, sustainability, and connectivity in a real-world deployment aligns with the broader goals of IMAGINE-B5G.
This project is already underway as part of the Third Open Call of IMAGINE-B5G. Stay tuned to our website and social media channels for updates on this and other projects.
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