Partnership to Accelerate Industry 4.0 and 5.0 Adoption in India
In a significant step towards advancing Industry 4.0 and Industry 5.0 in India, Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC), Volvo Group, and Bharti Airtel have announced a research partnership to explore the potential of Extended Reality (XR), Digital Twin technologies, and AI in the manufacturing sector. Leveraging the power of 5G and 5G Advanced, this collaboration aims to transform industrial operations, enhance workforce training, and drive real-time process optimization.
The research will be conducted at the Volvo Group Factory and Volvo Group’s R&D Centre in Bangalore, focusing on futuristic Industrial Metaverse applications. These applications will blend the physical and digital worlds, enabling enhanced efficiency and fostering innovation in manufacturing through immersive training and real-time process optimization with cutting-edge AI technologies.
“5G, coupled with Extended Reality applications, will foster innovation and collaboration between our sites and engineers in real-time.”
Kamal Bali, President & MD, Volvo Group India.
A key pillar of this initiative is the deployment of Airtel’s 5G advanced network as the foundation for industrial XR applications. With ultra-low latency and high-speed capabilities, 5G will enable real-time simulations, design prototyping, and immersive training across multiple factory and industrial sites. This will allow experimentation with new immersive concepts, testing ‘what if’ scenarios, and optimizing production workflows without disrupting actual operations.
Beyond operational efficiencies, the collaboration aims to support the path to Industry 4.0 and beyond, unlocking new revenue streams and business models for telcos. Insights gained from this research will enhance network readiness for Industrial XR, paving the way for immersive communication solutions in smart factories.
Sharat Sinha, Director & CEO – Airtel Business, added, “We are thrilled to leverage our advanced 5G network for innovative industrial applications in partnership with Ericsson and Volvo Group. Our high-speed, low latency 5G network will transform the manufacturing sector by enabling real-time XR applications for enhanced productivity and efficiencies, unlocking new revenue streams, and accelerating the adoption of Industry 4.0 applications.”
Nitin Bansal, Managing Director, Ericsson India, commented, “As India embraces Industry 4.0, 5G will be a game-changer in enabling intelligent, connected, and immersive industrial experiences. This collaboration with Airtel and Volvo Group underscores Ericsson’s commitment to driving innovation through 5G and Extended Reality. The research insights will shape the future of industrial digitalization, not just in India but globally.”
As industries increasingly adopt digital transformation, this initiative will help networks support the growing demand for XR-driven innovations, aiding businesses in improving productivity and scaling operations seamlessly.
