Learn how Cisco Ultra-Reliable Wireless Backhaul (URWB) helps enable reliable connectivity for Honda’s Autonomous Work Vehicle (AWV), supporting perimeter inspection and other mission-critical operations in demanding outdoor environments.
Cisco URWB: Reliable connectivity for autonomous vehicle operations
By providing more predictable wireless connectivity in demanding mobile environments, Cisco URWB helps automated guided vehicles (AGVs), autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), and autonomous work vehicles (AWVs) operate with less manual intervention. These autonomous systems can improve efficiency, reduce bottlenecks, and support continuous operations while helping organizations lower operational costs.
The systems can be classified based on their navigation capabilities and operating environments:
- AGV: Operates on fixed paths
- AMR: Autonomously selects paths and operates predominantly indoors
- AWV: Autonomously selects its path and operates on rugged off-road routes
Several companies have recently started to deploy automation solutions involving autonomous vehicles. Honda is manufacturing one of these solutions—AWV.
The Honda AWV is designed to operate autonomously in off-road environments once programmed.
It uses GPS for the location, light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensors for obstacle detection, and proprietary odometry to precisely navigate its environment. When the vehicle detects an obstacle, it can autonomously adjust its route. Stereoscopic 3D cameras support remote monitoring, providing operators with visibility when required.
For instance, the Honda AWV could be used to perform perimeter security services at job sites during non-work hours.
Honda has chosen Cisco URWB to provide its connectivity
Cisco URWB is designed to support highly reliable wireless mobility, helping reduce the risk of connectivity interruptions that can affect real-time control and monitoring applications of the AWV. Cisco URWB helps provide the reliable connectivity autonomous vehicles need for real-time monitoring and control. In mission-critical environments, even brief communication interruptions can result in operational pauses. While 4G and 5G are viable alternatives, many organizations prefer to maintain full control of their wireless infrastructure and operational data.
The roles of real-time control protocols and Cisco URWB
Certain environments, such as airports and industrial facilities, require highly reliable, real-time wireless communications to support mobile vehicle operations and maintain safety standards. Cisco URWB uses multiprotocol label switching (MPLS)-over-wireless technology and make-before-break handoffs to help maintain connectivity as vehicles move throughout the site.
The solution provides lossless roaming capabilities between infrastructure radios and highly predictable low-latency performance, depending on deployment design and operating conditions. These capabilities are particularly valuable for autonomous vehicle applications, such as the Honda AWV and supporting technologies, including control-protocols within the Illuminex AI platform. In highly mobile, mission-critical environments, conventional Wi‑Fi may face challenges with handoff behaviour, latency variation, and packet loss.
Illuminex AI uses a sensor-fusion AI platform InspectEx (combined with foreign object debris (FOD) that could damage tires) for AI-based asphalt/concrete analysis and pavement marking validation to monitor airfield and roadway conditions.
By merging visual, LiDAR, GPS, and inertial measurement unit (IMU) data, the system helps mobile and ground-based teams automatically flag and geo-locate critical safety hazards. AWV instantly transmits anomaly data to the InspectEx Cloud through Cisco URWB. This cloud connectivity seamlessly integrates with existing asset management systems through application programming interfaces (APIs), giving operators the proactive, data-driven insights needed to maximize uptime and prevent unplanned maintenance.
How Illuminex AI is transmitted over Cisco URWB
Transmitting real-time traffic wirelessly presents a challenge, because it requires deterministic, real-time responses. Furthermore, the encrypted transport of Cisco URWB data-plane protects AWV data integrity.
Even in the event these critical real-time packets are lost for any reason (reflection, interference), Cisco URWB includes a feature called multipath operation (MPO), which duplicates selected packets across multiple paths and removes duplicates at the receiving end.
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