5G-ROUTES · Project

Cross-Border 5G Connectivity for Automated Vehicles, Trains, and Ships — Field-Tested

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Imagine driving from Latvia through Estonia to Finland and your self-driving car never loses its 5G connection — not even when crossing borders or switching mobile operators. That's what this project tested at real scale along the Via Baltica-North corridor, covering cars, trains, and even maritime routes. They ran 13 different use cases across 3 rounds of increasingly advanced trials, measuring over 150 performance indicators to prove 5G can actually keep connected vehicles safe and responsive across country lines. The bottom line: they built the evidence that 5G-based automated transport can work seamlessly across Europe, not just in lab demos.

By the numbers

>150

network, business and service-level KPIs validated

connected and automated mobility use cases tested

transport modes covered (road, rail, maritime)

iterative testing cycles completed

consortium partners across 9 countries

project deliverables produced

71%

industry partners in the consortium

The business problem

What needed solving

Transport operators, telecom providers, and automotive companies face a critical gap: 5G promises to enable self-driving vehicles and connected transport, but nobody had proven it actually works when vehicles cross national borders, switch operators, or move between road, rail, and sea. Without this evidence, investing in 5G-based connected mobility is a gamble — you don't know if the network will hold up where it matters most.

The solution

What was built

The project delivered validated field trial results for 13 connected and automated mobility use cases across the Via Baltica-North corridor (Latvia-Estonia-Finland), tested over 3 iterative cycles with progressively advanced 5G specifications. Concrete outputs include a complete set of 34 deliverables covering AI-based network enablers, cross-border handover solutions, V2X communication systems, and multimodal transport connectivity for vehicles, trains, and maritime vessels.

Audience

Who needs this

Mobile network operators planning 5G corridor deployments along European highwaysAutomotive OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers developing V2X and autonomous driving featuresRailway operators modernizing train communication systems (replacing legacy GSM-R)Port authorities and maritime logistics companies digitizing shipping routesNational transport ministries and road authorities planning connected corridor infrastructure

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Telecommunications

enterprise

Target: Mobile network operators deploying 5G infrastructure along transport corridors

If you are a telecom operator planning 5G rollout along highways or rail lines — this project validated over 150 KPIs for cross-border, cross-operator handover scenarios across 3 countries. Their field trial results from the Via Baltica-North corridor give you tested blueprints for ensuring uninterrupted 5G coverage across national borders and between different vendor equipment. You get real performance data instead of lab estimates.

Automotive & Connected Mobility

enterprise

Target: Fleet operators and automotive OEMs developing connected or autonomous vehicles

If you are a fleet operator or vehicle manufacturer working on connected driving features — this project tested 13 CAM use cases including cooperative driving, awareness sensing, and V2X communication over real 5G networks. Their trials covered automated vehicles on actual cross-border roads between Estonia and Latvia, proving that 5G can maintain the low latency and reliability self-driving features demand. The results across 3 testing cycles show what works and what still needs attention.

Rail & Maritime Transport

enterprise

Target: Railway operators and port authorities modernizing operations with connectivity

If you are a railway operator or maritime logistics company struggling with connectivity gaps — this project didn't just test cars. They validated 5G-based services across 3 transport modes: road vehicles, rail, and maritime routes in the Gulf of Finland. Their trials demonstrated uninterrupted passenger infotainment and multimodal cargo tracking services, giving you proven evidence that 5G can replace patchy legacy communication systems on trains and ships.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to access or license these results?

The project was publicly funded under Horizon 2020 as an Innovation Action, so the trial results, KPI data, and technical reports are largely available through the project's 34 deliverables. Licensing terms for specific AI-based tools developed during the project would need to be discussed with the consortium partners, particularly coordinator Ericsson.

Can these solutions work at industrial scale on real highways?

Yes — that was the entire point. The field trials were conducted at large scale along the Via Baltica-North corridor spanning Latvia, Estonia, and Finland, not in controlled lab environments. They tested 13 use cases across 3 iterative cycles, progressively moving from lab trials to localized tests to large-scale corridor trials.

Who owns the intellectual property from this project?

IP is distributed among the 24 consortium partners according to their Horizon 2020 grant agreement. Ericsson Eesti AS coordinated the project. For specific technology components, you would need to contact the relevant partner — particularly the 17 industry participants who likely hold commercially relevant IP.

Does this comply with European transport and telecom regulations?

The project was specifically designed to validate compliance with 3GPP specifications Release 16 and Release 17 for connected and automated mobility. As a 5G-PPP Phase 3 project, it aligns with EU policy goals for cross-border 5G corridors and connected transport deployment across member states.

How mature is this technology — can I deploy it now?

The technology has been validated through 3 rounds of large-scale field trials on real infrastructure, with the final round using 5G Standalone architecture. The project closed in February 2025 with tested results. Deployment readiness depends on the specific use case, but the evidence base for 5G-based connected mobility is now solid.

How does this integrate with existing transport and telecom infrastructure?

The trials specifically tested cross-operator and cross-vendor scenarios, meaning the solutions were validated across different telecom equipment and network providers. They also tested integrated terrestrial-satellite connectivity, addressing coverage gaps in rural corridor segments. This makes the results directly applicable to real multi-operator European corridors.

Consortium

Who built it

The 5G-ROUTES consortium of 24 partners across 9 countries is heavily industry-driven at 71%, led by Ericsson's Estonian subsidiary as coordinator. With 17 industry partners including 8 SMEs, plus 6 research organizations and 1 university, this is clearly an execution-focused team rather than an academic exercise. The consortium members participate in 30 out of 63 5G-PPP projects, meaning they sit at the center of Europe's 5G development ecosystem. For a business considering these results, the strong industry presence — telecom operators, automotive players, and technology providers — means the outputs are designed with commercial deployment in mind, not just scientific publication.

ERICSSON EESTI ASCoordinator · EE
WINGS ICT SOLUTIONS TECHNOLOGIES PLIROFORIKIS KAI EPIKOINONION ANONYMI ETAIREIAparticipant · EL
ETHNIKO KENTRO EREVNAS KAI TECHNOLOGIKIS ANAPTYXISparticipant · EL
LATVIJAS MOBILAIS TELEFONS SIAparticipant · LV
CENTRE TECNOLOGIC DE TELECOMUNICACIONS DE CATALUNYAparticipant · ES
TEKNOLOGIAN TUTKIMUSKESKUS VTT OYparticipant · FI
INSTITUT VEDECOMparticipant · FR
BRAINSTORM MULTIMEDIA SLparticipant · ES
AIRBUS DEFENCE AND SPACE GMBHparticipant · DE
VEDIAFI OYparticipant · FI
ATOS SPAIN SAparticipant · ES
INLECOM INNOVATION ASTIKI MI KERDOSKOPIKI ETAIREIAparticipant · EL
EBOS TECHNOLOGIES LIMITEDparticipant · CY
AIRBUS DEFENCE AND SPACE SASparticipant · FR
SWARCO ITALIA SRLparticipant · IT
TELIA EESTI ASparticipant · EE
IQUADRAT INFORMATICA SLparticipant · ES
ELEKTRONIKAS UN DATORZINATNU INSTITUTSparticipant · LV
CUMUCORE OYparticipant · FI
ATOS IT SOLUTIONS AND SERVICES IBERIA SLthirdparty · ES
TALLINNA TEHNIKAÜLIKOOLparticipant · EE
ENIDE SOLUTIONS .S.Lparticipant · ES

How to reach the team

Ericsson Eesti AS (Estonia) — reach out through their enterprise or government solutions division

Order a report on this consortium See ERICSSON EESTI AS profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want a tailored brief on how 5G-ROUTES results apply to your transport or telecom operations? Contact SciTransfer for a focused analysis matching your specific corridor or use case.

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