Nokia deploys industrial-grade private 5G wireless network for Volkswagen

With this pilot deployment, Volkswagen will investigate new operational use cases including wireless upload of data to manufactured vehicles and intelligent networking of robots and wireless assembly tools.

Nokia said Monday it has deployed an industrial-grade private 5G wireless network for Volkswagen, allowing the German carmaker to explore and develop its potential in manufacturing.

Commenting on this development, Dr.-Ing. Klaus-Dieter Tuchs, network planning at Volkswagen, said, "Predictable wireless performance and the real-time capabilities of 5G have great potential for smart factories in the not-so-distant future. With this pilot deployment, we are exploring the possibilities 5G has to offer and are building our expertise in operating and using 5G technology in an industrial context."

Deployed at Volkswagen's main plant in Wolfsburg, Germany, the network uses the Nokia Digital Automation Cloud (DAC) solution that offers reliable high-bandwidth and low-latency connectivity for sensors, machines, vehicles and other equipment. The network is operating in the dedicated 3.7-3.8 GHz band for local private wireless networks, that was allocated by the Federal Network Agency.

With this pilot deployment, Volkswagen will investigate new operational use cases including wireless upload of data to manufactured vehicles and intelligent networking of robots and wireless assembly tools.

"By deploying private wireless to explore and develop its potential in manufacturing, Volkswagen underscores its leading position in leveraging digitalization to enhance efficiency and productivity. We are delighted to support this effort with the Nokia Digital Automation Cloud and our extensive experience in private wireless networks," said Chris Johnson, Head of Global Enterprise business for Nokia.