Japanese telecom giant SoftBank is working with Honda on a potential research partnership that could help vehicles connect to next-generation wireless networks.

SoftBank, the controlling stakeholder of Sprint, announced last week that discussions with the auto giant’s research and development arm were underway. The companies hope to strengthen vehicle internet connectivity as well as vehicle-to-vehicle communications “with a view to the future adoption of 5th generation mobile communication system standards.”

Under a joint research project, SoftBank would, beginning in the next fiscal year, install experimental 5G base stations at Honda’s testing track in Hokkaido.

Officials plan to use the closed testing environment to evaluate new technologies in a 5G environment, including transferring signals from fast-moving vehicles between base stations and securing and receiving data in areas with a weak signal.