Geely unveils 5G-powered smart bus

A smart bus assisted by the 5G mobile network is unveiled by Geely in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province on June 15. [Photo/zjol.com.cn]

HANGZHOU -- Chinese auto carmaker Geely unveiled a smart bus on June 15 assisted by the 5G mobile network in the city of Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province.

The bus can support face-scanning payment and real-time connection with bus stations, which enables passengers to check the status of the vehicle, according to Liu Guoqiang, deputy general manager of the Zhejiang-based Geely New Energy Commercial Vehicle Group.

The smart bus was co-developed by Geely, Hangzhou Bus Group, China Mobile, Soyea Technology Co. Ltd, and Huawei.

Equipped with 20 cameras and a millimeter wave radar, the 5G-powered vehicle can have real-time interaction with China Mobile's high-definition live cameras in the city, as well as bus stops and traffic cameras.

According to Liu, an LED sign on the rear of the bus can interact with traffic signals through the 5G network, showing traffic conditions to vehicles behind it.

In addition, a remote management platform can conduct long-distance control and intervention when the real-time monitoring system on the bus finds the driver is fatigued, the vehicle is seriously off-track or in other emergency situations.

"Thanks to the 5G network, a large number of technologies and applications that could not be implemented before are now possible," Liu said.

China is adopting the 5G network to meet the public demand in sectors such as transportation, entertainment and health care.

So far, China Mobile's Hangzhou branch has built dozens of trial 5G base stations in Hangzhou and the number is expected to exceed a hundred by the end of this year.