TL:DR
Researchers from the University of Glasgow and Heriot-Watt University found that moving vehicles - including cars, vans and buses - can obstruct 5G signals required for real-time data exchange in intelligent transport networks. The study was carried out for TransiT, the UK’s national research hub focused on using digital twins to accelerate the transition to low‑carbon transport.
Dr Mohammad Al‑Quraan, Research Associate in Autonomous Systems & Connectivity at the University of Glasgow, said both driverless vehicles and digital twins rely on “ultra-reliable, uninterrupted communication systems” capable of transmitting large volumes of data at high speed.
“These are needed to ensure that driverless vehicles are continuously connected to the operations centres controlling them, and that digital twins can exchange decisions instantly, or in near to real time, with their physical counterparts in the real world,” he said. “But our research shows that even next-generation communication technologies like 5G are vulnerable to blockages from obstacles like vehicles and pedestrians – which highlights the need for new innovations in this area.”
The researchers created a detailed simulation of a 160‑metre stretch of dual carriageway featuring Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs), which depend on cameras, radar and constant high‑bandwidth communication with remote control centres. They also modelled conventional traffic travelling at 10–70 mph to analyse how different road conditions affected signal strength.
Three scenarios were assessed:
- Varying levels of congestion
- Different numbers of roadside 5G units
- Changes in the height of those units
Under heavy traffic, the main 5G link saw an average signal drop of around 20% compared with light traffic. According to the team, this could lead to delays in transmitting sensor data or cause autonomous vehicles to fall back to slower 4G networks.
Raising the height of roadside antennas helped reduce blockages; at about 11 metres, simulated obstacles no longer disrupted signals. However, the authors cautioned that increasing height also reduces strength over distance, meaning planners must balance visibility with performance.
Adding more 5G units provided benefits in some conditions, but in very congested environments it occasionally increased the chance of simultaneous blockages to both primary and backup communication links - suggesting that network design, rather than density alone, is crucial.
“These 5G signals are very sensitive and even a car passing in front of them can cause a huge loss,” Dr Al‑Quraan said. “Our research highlights the need for resilient communication systems that can predict and avoid blockages like these, so autonomous vehicles and digital twins have the connectivity they need to operate in our future decarbonised transport networks.”
The researchers say the findings offer “valuable insights” for the engineers and network operators developing the next generation of intelligent transport systems. They believe artificial intelligence could eventually help predict and mitigate disruptions, maintaining the “seamless, uninterrupted communication” required for time‑critical operations.
Dr Al‑Quraan will present the work in May at the 2026 IEEE International Conference on Communications (ICC) in Glasgow.
The research was co-authored by members of the TransiT teams at the University of Glasgow and Heriot-Watt University, including Runze Cheng, Stefanos Evripidou, Xicheng Li, Philip Greening, David Flynn, Muhammad Ali Imran, Dimitrios Pezaros and Ahmad Taha.
TransiT brings together eight universities and nearly 70 industry partners to explore how digital twin technology can help decarbonise transport. It is jointly led by Heriot-Watt University and the University of Glasgow, and funded by the UK Research and Innovation Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.
The participating universities focus on different transport sectors:
- Heriot-Watt University – logistics and freight
- University of Glasgow – digital twinning and cyber‑physical systems
- University of Leeds – transport decarbonisation policy
- University of Birmingham – rail systems
- Cranfield University – aviation
- University College London – maritime transport
- University of Cambridge – road freight
- Durham University – public transport engineering
Industry partners include UK transport operators, regulators, vehicle manufacturers, technology firms and energy companies.
My Thoughts 💭My Thoughts 💭
I was thinking 5G was going to be a big thing. Maybe it will be but right now it definitely has some shortcomings. This was a cool study.