Anritsu, Thales and European car manufacturer Groupe PSA have integrated what they present as the first solution able to test vehicle with embedded SIM cards both in a laboratory environment and in a live mobile network, with rapid switching between the two. Based on Anritsu’s MD8475x base station simulator platform and Thales’ On-Demand Subscription Manager (OSM), the solution allows Groupe PSA to conduct a full laboratory test of vehicle with the eSIM integrated into a car’s Telematics Control Unit (TCU).
The eSIM in the car has a profile allowing it to connect to the mobile operator’s network, providing connectivity to PSA group vehicles. Until now, only one environment, live or laboratory, could be used in the validation and in the verification test of the vehicle. The new solution ensures the eSIM can be switched easily to the laboratory profile, allowing the test team to control all aspects of the simulated network environment as well as all measurements. This is particularly important in the automotive industry, where safety is a priority.
Using the Thales OSM, the profiles can be conveniently switched over the air at the press of a button. During integration, the solution showed it could change from the live to the test profile and back again - initially connected to the live Mobile Network Operator (MNO), the eSIM switched its connectivity to the test radio network from the base station simulator.
This solution brings many benefits over previous ways of swapping profiles, one of which involved physically desoldering the embedded SIM and replacing with another, bringing delays and the risk of damage. Another alternative is to use commands in the TCU, which can be complicated due to the use of proprietary software and may lead to undesired changes in TCU firmware.
The solution can also be used in any applications that use embedded SIMs, such as in Internet of Things devices and products.
