O2 evolves Darwin Project with new lab

Telefónica UK (O2 UK) flagged the launch of a commercial laboratory that will use 5G and satellite communications to test connected and automated vehicles (CAV).

The laboratory, named the Darwin SatCom Lab, forms the next phase of Project Darwin, a four‑year trial programme supported by O2 UK, Telefónica Group, and the European Space Agency (ESA), and located at the Harwell Campus, a science and innovation hub in Oxfordshire (Telefónicawatch, #136 and #138).

The aim of the Darwin SatCom Lab is to enable enterprises to trial connectivity solutions for CAVs. O2 UK has converted two Renault Twizy electric cars into CAVs and fitted them with LiDAR (light detection and ranging) sensors to allow them to be controlled from the laboratory and driven around the Harwell Campus.

The 5G equipment is provided by Nokia and the geosynchronous communications satellites (GEO) by Spanish satellite operator (and former Group investment) Hispasat. The O2 UK 5G Innovation team will remotely track the status of the CAVs, including their position, movement, and speed. A ‘digital twin’ will also be broadcast to screens in O2 UK’s laboratory at the University of Glasgow and at the operator’s headquarters in Slough.

O2 said one proof of concept already being tested is using the LiDAR sensors to track the vehicles’ carbon emissions.

Derek McManus, Chief Operating Officer at O2 UK, said combining 5G technology and satellite communications will “essentially extend 5G networks to even the most remote areas, ensuring reliable access across the whole of the UK”.

Darwin’s evolution

Project Darwin was unveiled in June 2019 and, as well as being backed by Telefónica and ESA, is supported by Oxford and Glasgow Universities, the UK Space Agency, Darwin Innovation Group, and various startups specialising in self‑driving mobility solutions. In addition to the Harwell Campus, Darwin has locations at O2’s London and Slough offices and in Glasgow. O2 UK and ESA opened the Darwin laboratory at the University of Glasgow in March 2020.

In July 2020, O2 UK flagged the involvement of Darwin laboratory in trials of a COVID‑19 ‘clinic‑on‑wheels’ for remote tracking and testing of care home workers and residents in Glasgow. The project is co‑funded by the Darwin Innovation Group and University of Glasgow’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council Impact Acceleration Account.

UK government‑backed projects

 UK proving itself a 5G research hotbed

Telefónica UK’s contribution of 5G technology to Darwin Project research is only one example of a vibrant R&D environment in the UK, examining use‑cases and business models for the next‑generation technology.

The operator and its peers are involved in multiple public‑private partnerships across the UK’s nations and regions, including several major European Union‑backed efforts that have established a presence in the country. Highlights of projects featuring Telefónica involvement are set out below, while an in‑depth review of the UK’s 5G research activity can be found at TelcoTitans.com.

European projects with a UK presence