Far EasTone Telecom and Ericsson combined network slicing and edge computing running in a standalone (SA) 5G network to enhance the surveillance capabilities of a police car operating in the city of Kaohsiung in southern Taiwan.

In a statement, the vendor noted the 5G smart patrol car used a night vision camera and AI software to identify vehicles using their licence plates, claiming the commercial case combining SA and network slicing was a first in Taiwan and designed to support urban crime detection and prevention.

The vehicle can transmit 4K images to a police command centre in real time using a local packet gateway for edge computing, Ericsson stated. Data is stored and processed at edge nodes to ensure low latency and security.

Working with Kaohsiung police department, the companies first completed a series of 5G network slicing tests.

Kaohsiung City Police chief Lin Yantian said it looks forward to deploying the technology in more sub-bureaus and even all of Taiwan.

The operator named Ericsson as a supplier of SA and non-standalone (NSA) dual-mode 5G core and VoLTE equipment in March 2021.