Research achievements of the contract research sponsored by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, "R&D of frequency effective utilization technology corresponding to various situations supporting a vast number of autonomous mobility systems

Background of research (and role allotment)

As we face super aging of population and decrease in working-age population, realization of autonomous mobility systems (autonomous driving technologies, autonomous control technologies, etc.), which fulfill highly reliable and highly accurate autonomous driving, is expected. In order to realize the autonomous mobility systems, not only sensors to be equipped with moving objects themselves are required, but also it is extremely important and indispensable to establish communications technologies for the collection and grasping of diverse and large amounts of information, such as advanced map database, which enables advanced self-localization and peripheral environment recognition, in real time and without delay. Accordingly, in order to establish communications technologies supporting autonomous mobility systems, two kinds of technologies are established: technologies that allow real-time exchange of diverse and large amounts of information, such as advanced map database, with a vast number of moving objects; and technologies that allow effective use of the most of limited radio wave resources.

Results of research

Concerning the technologies to be challenged (i) among R&D activities allocated to NTT, technologies are developed, which make the edge computing technologies*1, one kind of distributed computing technologies, applicable to fast moving objects, mainly cars. Specifically, the developed technologies are possible to make fast transfer of application data between edge servers by utilizing mobile network control information for the purpose of sending and receiving large amounts of data to and from fast moving objects, such as cars. Consequently, it is made possible, by means of distributed processing, to effectively distribute large amounts of information to fast moving cars.
Next, concerning the technologies to be challenged (iii) allocated to NTT, we developed technologies which make anomaly detection technologies, which can efficiently analyze large amounts of traffic, applicable to the autonomous mobility system. Specifically, the developed technologies are distributed cooperative detection techniques of abnormal traffic, which allow transfer of minimum information required for continuous monitoring of target mobility from transfer-source edge server to transfer-destination edge server by capturing the timing of movement of autonomous mobility between edges. This enables continuous and effective monitoring of communications traffic which follows the movement of autonomous mobility between edges.

Further development in the future

In consideration of promotion of international spread of the technologies developed this time through standardization by standardizing bodies concerned and social needs associated with realization of autonomous driving, the developed technologies will be considered in light of utilization in business activities. In the future, NTT will strive to contribute to the realization of autonomous mobility systems through these efforts.

Glossary

*1 Edge computing technologies:

Faster processing of real time services and big data is made possible by decentralizing data computing process by means of edge servers that execute intermediate processing of data, installed between data centers and devices