SMATRA-5G is a cutting-edge vertical experiment led by Odin Solutions (ODINS) and selected in the third Open Call of IMAGINE-B5G. The project introduces an innovative solution for smart transport by leveraging Virtual On-Board Units (vOBUs), integrated with advanced 5G capabilities such as Multi-Access Edge Computing (MEC), seamless handover, and low-latency communications.
The experiment explores how dynamic virtualized components can replace traditional in-vehicle systems to ensure continuous connectivity, lower energy consumption, and enhanced scalability in vehicular environments. By deploying vOBUs near moving vehicles and orchestrating them across multiple 5G cells, SMATRA-5G paves the way for more resilient and efficient connected and autonomous vehicle (CAV) systems.
Use-case description: The use case centers around improving vehicle-to-network communication by dynamically deploying virtual On-Board Units close to vehicles using MEC infrastructure. Unlike traditional physical OBUs, the vOBUs act as proxies that handle data requests and analytics are offloaded from the vehicle. This not only improves energy efficiency but also mitigates interruptions in service when vehicles move across 5G coverage zones.
The Spanish facility at the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) provides the ideal environment for this trial, offering outdoor 5G Standalone (SA) coverage on n40 band (2.3 GHz) and robust edge computing support. Within this setup, ODINS will test real-world vOBU deployments in urban and semi-urban mobility scenarios, validating critical features like handover continuity, QoS-based traffic prioritization, and MEC-based service orchestration.
The proposed solution is poised to impact IMAGINE-B5G on multiple levels:
- Management Level: SMATRA-5G demonstrates dynamic NetApp deployment and zero-touch orchestration using the NaC and CAPIF APIs. This enables seamless mobility support and lifecycle management of virtual network applications, empowering developers to integrate future transport services rapidly.
- Societal Level: By offloading tasks from vehicles and ensuring continuity even in low-coverage areas, the solution reduces dependency on vehicle-side processing and supports greener mobility. Fewer system failures due to network interruptions mean safer roads and improved public trust in connected vehicle systems.
- Technical Level: SMATRA-5G validates real-time MEC orchestration, Open5GS core integration, and interoperability through open APIs. It addresses Beyond-5G KPIs such as low latency, high reliability, and service continuity, supporting a scalable and replicable architecture for CAV solutions.
- Vertical Area(s): The project targets smart transport and logistics vertical, tackling key challenges in connected car scalability, network saturation, and vehicular mobility management. By virtualizing and migrating OBUs, SMATRA-5G shows how modern networks can adapt to the demands of future mobility ecosystems.
In summary, SMATRA-5G exemplifies how Beyond-5G technologies can revolutionize smart transport by enabling flexible, reliable, and sustainable mobility solutions. Backed by the IMAGINE-B5G infrastructure and ecosystem, the project showcases the potential of 5G in real-world vehicle communications and digital twin-based architectures. To learn more about this project, stay tuned to our website and social media channels.
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