Remote Driving over ITS-G5: Experimental Insights from the MASA Living-Lab

A fundamental pillar of ITS (Intelligent Transport Systems) is the communication between various actors, including vehicles, pedestrians, and infrastructure. The latter, in particular, has enabled research into the possibility of remotely transmitting commands to vehicles, laying the groundwork for remote driving. While theoretically possible since the emergence of wireless communication standards, several challenges remain, especially related to technological and security aspects, such as the latency between the vehicle and the remotely located driver. In such a scenario, the remote driver must be able to perceive and respond promptly to any situation on the road, ranging from sudden obstacles to unpredictable behavior of other road users. This requires not only a low-latency command transmission from the control center to the vehicle but also a reliable and ultra-low-latency video feedback channel, ensuring situational awareness comparable to that of onboard driving. This study presents an initial experimental evaluation conducted in a real-world scenario, leveraging an operational ITS-G5 infrastructure within the Modena Smart Automotive Area living lab. Tests were carried out using IEEE standard-compliant devices to assess latency, bitrate, and communication coverage. The results confirm the feasibility of establishing robust, low-latency, bidirectional communication with the vehicle, thus supporting the development of more advanced remote driving functionalities.