Testing 5G Standalone for autonomous transport in Sweden with Telia and Scania

Along a 5G transport corridor between Södertälje and Nyköping in Sweden, we are among the first in Europe to test 5G Standalone for autonomous transport on public roads together with Telia and Scania.

The corridor serves as a real-world proof point, generating insights into how autonomous transport can operate safely, efficiently, and predictably. These learnings help set a reference for the transport industry and for other industries with similar demands on real-time connectivity.

For autonomous vehicles to operate at scale, continuous and predictable communication between the vehicle and the control center is critical. When conditions change due to incidents, congestion, or unexpected events, the vehicle must be able to transmit sensor data and high-quality video in real time, without delay or degradation.

Traditional best-effort connectivity cannot guarantee this level of performance, particularly under network congestion. To make autonomous transport work reliably on public roads, connectivity needs to be deterministic and resilient.

This is where differentiated connectivity with 5G Standalone makes a difference. Built on Ericsson’s 5G Standalone software and network slicing capabilities, network performance can be defined and assured when conditions are most demanding. With dedicated network slices, autonomous vehicles receive consistent bandwidth and low latency even when the network is under intense load.

This enables reliable telemetry, sensor data, and real-time video streams between the vehicle and the control center, supporting remote assessment and timely decisions when every moment matters.

For Scania, predictable, differentiated connectivity enables more reliable fleet operations, better decision-making, and increased confidence in autonomous systems operating in live traffic. By reducing unnecessary stops, improving operational efficiency, and supporting smarter use of resources, differentiated connectivity plays a key role in advancing connected and autonomous transport. 

For Telia, the project demonstrates how differentiated connectivity can evolve into a commercial enterprise offering, where reliable network performance becomes a product  customers are willing to pay for.

While rooted in transport, the learnings from this project extend beyond a single industry, helping shape how predictable, real-time connectivity can support other advanced, real-world applications.