“We want Lithuania to become an open transport innovations laboratory. Building on the experience of other countries, such as the UK, we will strive to apply new generation technologies in a range of different fields, including transport. In Lithuania we already have innovative companies developing autonomous transport and manufacturing electric vehicles or charging points. Using the Sandbox, Lithuania will have even more options to secure its position on the European mobility map as an innovative country,” commented Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications Agnė Vaiciukevičiūtė.
The UK has already implemented some innovations developed during the 5G testbeds and trials programme. One of such innovations is a system of 5G technology-based smart intersections where traffic flows are regulated in such a way as to reduce air pollution, traffic congestions and the time spent stopping at traffic lights.
5G has been also applied for the purpose of enabling public transport to collect information on public transport passenger flows, actual traffic situation, vehicle performance characteristics, etc., with the help of sensors. Access to this data ensures more efficient management of passenger flows and traffic, reduces traffic congestion and makes daily travelling safer, more convenient and better suited to the needs of the drivers and passengers.
The 5G implementation experience gained by the experts from the UK could be successfully built upon by the Lithuanian specialists developing the Sandbox initiative.
The Sandbox initiative planned by the Ministry of Transport and Communications is a legal, regulatory and financial environment for the testing and putting into practice under real conditions of 5G connection-based transport innovations in a range of different sectors. For the purposes of continuity, a financial support mechanism is to be developed and EUR 24.5 million are to be allocated for this project under the Recovery and Resilience Facility.
