Rohde & Schwarz has become the first to test 5G ecall interoperability of Quectel’s 5G module, with its wideband radio communication tester.

Rohde & Schwarz has validated Quectel’s 5G ecall module, part of the AG56xN series of automotive modules. For the test, the R&S CMX500 wideband radio communication tester has been used. The test setup will be shown at next week’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

Ecall, the automatic emergency call system for vehicles sold within the European Union, was introduced in 2015 and has been a mandatory requirement for all new cars in the EU since 2018. Ecall systems currently make use of 2G and 3G circuit-switched cellular networks. As these networks will be phased out in just a few years, emergency call systems for in-vehicle systems and infrastructure will be adapted to the newest 4G and 5G packet-switched cellular networks.

The European Commission initiative to update the standards and legislation to transition ecall to 4G and 5G networks is ongoing. It is expected that an upcoming Chinese ecall standard will also require 4G and 5G packet-switched cellular networks.

The AG56xN represents a line of 5G NR modules, leveraging the MediaTek MT2735 chipset to provide connectivity. These modules support 5G Rel-15, delivering data rates up to 4.0Gbit/s downlink and 480Mbit/s uplink within a 200MHz bandwidth, showcasing a significant leap in wireless communication speeds. They are equipped with an array of interfaces.

“We are very pleased to have Rohde and Schwarz validate the AG56xN series of automotive modules with the next generation of ecall features,” said Norbert Muhrer, president of Quectel Wireless. “This sets a new benchmark for the future of intelligent transportation.”

With computing capabilities up to 15K DMips and SGMII and RGMII throughput reaching 2.5Gbit/s, these modules are designed to meet high-performance requirements. The modules are also compatible with automotive-grade wifi and Bluetooth modules.

The test setup for testing the 5G and LTE automotive module from Quectel (www.quectel.com) included the CMX500 communication tester along with the CMX-KA098 5G ecall test option simulating an ecall public safety answering point (PSAP) and an SMBV100B vector signal generator for GNSS simulation. The test confirmed the establishment of a 5G emergency call between the Quectel module and the PSAP. The transmission of the minimum set of data (MSD) was achieved without any data loss and the simulated GNSS position was accurately transmitted. Additionally, voice communication was established with clear audio quality.

“This is an important milestone in the rollout of the next-generation ecall system, which will have a significant impact on road safety,” said Juergen Meyer, vice president at Rohde & Schwarz (www.rohde-schwarz.com). “With our test equipment and Quectel’s 5G ecall module we successfully established an entire ecall process and verified this new key feature. We are very grateful to Quectel for this excellent collaboration which provides an important checkpoint from which the automotive industry can proceed with greater speed and confidence.”