Ericsson unveils 5G in-vehicle router for fleets & RTK

Ericsson has launched the Cradlepoint R2400, an in-vehicle 5G router, alongside the RC1250 modem, targeting demand for more resilient connectivity for public safety, mass transit and fleet operators.

It is positioned as a platform for vehicles and mobile field teams that need continuous wide-area connectivity and location services, and includes edge compute resources for on-board processing.

Mobile focus

The R2400 is aimed at organisations running connected operations on the move, including first responders, transit agencies and private fleets. These users increasingly rely on real-time applications such as live video feeds, telematics and remote monitoring.

The router supports public safety networks and emerging network slicing services, and uses 5G standalone technology based on 3GPP Release 17.

A central feature is dual-SIM support on a single modem. Ericsson calls this Dual SIM/Dual Standby, keeping two SIM profiles ready for service. The design is intended to enable faster carrier switching than earlier approaches, reducing disruption when a vehicle moves between coverage areas or encounters network issues.

The R2400 also supports multi-link connectivity, handling up to five simultaneous cellular connections as well as multiple low-Earth-orbit satellite connections. This can provide an additional path when terrestrial coverage is limited.

Location and Wi-Fi

Ericsson is also pitching the R2400 on positioning accuracy for fleet and incident response use cases. The router uses Real-Time Kinematics and dead reckoning, which together can improve location precision from metre-level accuracy to around one centimetre in suitable conditions. This can support lane-level vehicle identification and more detailed asset tracking.

For in-vehicle local connectivity, the R2400 includes an embedded Wi‑Fi 7 access point. It uses a 4x4 software-defined design and can deliver higher Wi‑Fi speeds than previous generations, depending on the environment and client devices.

Edge compute

The new router includes increased on-device compute compared with earlier products in the line, according to Ericsson. This additional processing capacity is intended for local AI inferencing and computer vision workloads, and for running containerised applications at the edge.

Security and networking services are part of Ericsson's broader Cradlepoint offer. The R2400 includes faster security processing, supporting NetCloud SASE and SD‑WAN services used to manage connectivity across fleets and sites.

Modularity is another theme. The R2400 works with the RC1250 modem accessory, described as extensible, allowing customers to expand or upgrade 5G modem performance without replacing the router hardware.

Market signals

Ericsson pointed to indicators of rising adoption of AI and autonomy in emergency services and public transport. It cited Verizon's Frontline Study 2025, which found 46% of first responders in the US expect to use AI daily within five years, while 48% expect daily drone use. It also referenced the National Academies Autonomous Transit Survey (2024), which found 84% of US transit agencies plan to use or evaluate autonomous buses within three to five years.

Ericsson linked these trends to demand for more robust in-vehicle communications, particularly where vehicles serve as a moving hub for data, collaboration and monitoring.

Jason Leigh, Senior Research Manager for 5G & Mobile Services at IDC, said: "As digital transformation evolves, operations across public safety, mass transit, and commercial fleets, vehicles are increasingly THE critical hub for information, coordination, and incident response. This shift necessitates in‐vehicle connectivity that is more reliable, adaptable, and better suited to real‐time, data‐driven tasks. Solutions like the Ericsson Cradlepoint R2400 aim to meet that need by giving mobile teams a stronger, more reliable foundation for emerging IoT and AI-enabled solutions in the field that fuel improved response times, enhanced worker safety, and more efficient operations on a daily basis."

Channel partner RCN Technologies framed the product around continuity of service and upgrade paths for organisations operating large fleets.

"The R2400 demonstrates innovation in mobile mission-critical connectivity at its finest. Designed for the realities of the field, it counters connectivity loss through Dual SIM capability and a modular modem architecture, enabling real-time multi-carrier connectivity as needs evolve. The flexible, add-as-you-scale approach eliminates costly rip and replace upgrades. Ericsson's attention to building technology with a customer-first perspective gives us confidence to deliver, deploy, and scale their solutions efficiently and effectively, which is essential for supporting our nation's first responders," said Reed Perryman, Vice President of Sales & Marketing, RCN Technologies.

Pankaj Malhotra, Head of Product and Engineering, Ericsson Enterprise Wireless Solutions, said: "Mobile connectivity is becoming a core operational platform for public safety, transit, and fleet organizations. The R2400 is designed to keep vehicles connected and mission-ready in environments where reliability and precision are non-negotiable. With centimeter-level RTK, lightning-fast Dual SIM failover, and significantly more edge compute, it supports the real-time intelligence these teams increasingly rely on."

Ericsson said the Cradlepoint R2400 router and the RC1250 modem accessory will be available in Q2 2026.