The 5G network was installed in Siemens' automotive showroom and test center in Nuremberg. Driverless transport systems (AGV), which are primarily used in the automotive industry, are on display here. New production options and methods are co-developed, tested and presented before they are implemented at the customer's premises. This gives Siemens customers, such as AGV manufacturers, the opportunity to experience the interaction of the products live.

In the automotive showroom and test center, Siemens and Qualcomm can test the various technologies in an independent 5G network under real conditions and develop solutions for future applications in the industrial environment. Siemens is providing the complete real industrial setup, including Simatic controllers and IO devices.

"Industrial 5G opens the door to comprehensive wireless networking of production, maintenance and logistics. High data rates, ultra-reliable transmission and ultra-short latency times will enable a significant increase in efficiency and flexibility in industrial value creation," says Eckard Eberle, CEO of the Siemens Process Automation Business Unit. "We are therefore very pleased about the cooperation with Qualcomm Technologies, which will enable us to drive the development and technical realization of private 5G networks in industry. Our decades of experience in industrial communication and our industry expertise combined with the know-how of Qualcomm Technologies pave the way for the wireless networking of the factory of the future."

"This project provides us with important real-world insights that both companies can use in future applications and is an important milestone on the journey of 5G technology into industrial automation," said Enrico Salvatori, Senior Vice President & President, Qualcomm Europe/MEA. "The combination of our 5G networking capabilities and Siemens' deep industry expertise will help us deploy the technologies, enhance solutions and work to make the smart industrial future a reality."

In Germany, the Federal Network Agency has reserved a total of 100 MHz of bandwidth in the frequency range between 3.7 GHz and 3.8 GHz for local use in industrial environments. This gives companies in Germany the opportunity to rent spectrum for an annual fee and use it exclusively within their own premises in a private 5G network and to ensure optimum data protection. On this basis, industrial protocols such as OPC UA and Profinet are also evaluated and tested in the Siemens Automotive Showroom and Test Center in combination with wireless communication via 5G.

The two companies have been working together for many years with a focus on technological cooperation in the field of wireless communication technologies. Among other things, this has led to the development of the Siemens Scalance portfolio for industrial wireless communication. With Qualcomm's expertise in 5G technology, this collaboration continues to evolve seamlessly, leading to the first private standalone 5G network under industrial conditions. Solutions are being tested and developed here that will be usable for industry with the future release 16 of the 5G standard.