Vietnam's First Autonomous Car Project Begins Pilot Phase

On May 11, FPT Group submitted a permission request to the Ministry of Transport for the ministry's approval on the pilot of their autonomous car in high-tech parks.

According to VnExpress, the Ministry of Transport recently announced that it supports FPT's plan as it aligns with the country's Industry 4.0 visions. FPT was then instructed to seek permission from the management board of the high-tech parks and be responsible for traffic security during the test drive.

According to FPT CEO Pham Minh Tuan, the company started its self-driving car technology venture in 2016 by establishing the FPT Global Automotive (FGA) department focusing on developing automotive applications and software. The department's main foci are self-driving car technology, safety system, and entertainment system.

After a year of developing its self-driving technology, titled Automotive Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) on the Kia Soul, in October 2017, the group introduced its first autonomous car and did a test drive in the company complex.

FPT's self-driving system is currently at Level 2 in the autonomous driving classification system laid out by the Society of Automotive Engineer (SAE) — a US-based engineer association for standards development. Level 2 of autonomous driving means that the system will be fully in charge of the vehicle, yet partial assistance from one or two drivers is needed to intervene any time the system does not respond.

The autonomous vehicle has an average speed of 20-25 kilometers per hour. On straight lanes, its speed can reach up to 40 kilometers per hour. The car can adjust following distances, avoid obstacles, steer according to street lanes, and brake. It also underwent 1,000 hours of self-driving without any error or mishap.

Have a look at the autonomous car in the video below:

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Vietnam to Test 5G Technology Next Year for 2020 Launch

The fifth generation of cellular mobile technology promises superior speed, higher bandwidth and better responsiveness.

According to the newly elected Minister of Information Nguyen Manh Hung, Vietnam is aiming to be one of the first countries to apply the fifth generation (5G) of mobile technology, Zing reports. The testing phases will begin in 2019 and the network is expected to officially launch in 2020.

"The 5G technology is approaching and it's an opportunity for Vietnam to elevate its ranking on the global stage. If we want to do that, we have to be a pioneer," said Hung during a conference on innovation.

The move ties in with Vietnam's plan to get ahead in the so-called fourth industrial revolution, which is a blanket term for the integration of technology into physical, digital and biological spheres. The fourth industrial revolution is characterized by fields such as robotics, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT), biotechnology, autonomous vehicles, nanotechnology and quantum computing. The development of the 5G network will serve as a backbone for these emerging technologies to operate.

Four telecoms companies including Viettel, Mobifone, Vietnamobile and Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Group (VNPT) will receive 5G testing licenses as early as January.

In the meantime, VNPT is collaborating with Nokia to develop telecommunication technology including 5G. Likewise, Mobifone and Samsung is teaming up to enhance engineering and commercial cooperation in 4G and 5G network.

In July, the country's first demonstration of 5G technology was held by Ericsson with the support of Vietnam Authority of Radio Frequency Management.

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Source: https://saigoneer.com/saigon-technology/15008-vietnam-to-test-5g-technology-next-year-for-2020-launch