ITS America, automakers call on FCC to protect the safety spectrum

ITS America, along with automakers and intelligent transportation organisations, has filed comments with the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC), urging the FCC to focus on safety first when considering changing the rules of the 5.9 GHz Safety Spectrum band. The 5.9 GHz Safety Spectrum was allocated by the FCC in 1999 for the purpose of intelligent transportation systems (ITS) designed to bring safety benefits for consumers. The FCC is considering a proposal to reconfigure the 5.9 GHz band that w
July 11, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
560 ITS America, along with automakers and intelligent transportation organisations, has filed comments with the US 2115 Federal Communications Commission (FCC), urging the FCC to focus on safety first when considering changing the rules of the 5.9 GHz Safety Spectrum band.

The 5.9 GHz Safety Spectrum was allocated by the FCC in 1999 for the purpose of intelligent transportation systems (ITS) designed to bring safety benefits for consumers.  The FCC is considering a proposal to reconfigure the 5.9 GHz band that would sweep away decades of research and development and delay lifesaving benefits.

ITS America called on the FCC to “proceed cautiously to avoid the unintended regulatory consequences of setting back what has become a substantial effort to advance transportation safety, sustainability and mobility."

Vehicle to vehicle (V2V) communication technology using Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC) operates within the 5.9 GHz Safety Spectrum to help avoid crashes and reduce fatalities.  This connected car technology has been extensively tested by the 324 US Department of Transportation, automakers and experts in advanced automotive systems.

V2V communication technology is also an important building block toward automated vehicles.  The auto industry supports the efficient use of spectrum and rigorous testing to determine whether the 5.9 GHz band can be safely shared with other unlicensed users.

According to Regina Hopper, president and CEO of ITS America, intelligent transportation systems are transforming safety and creating a more sustainable, integrated mobility transportation environment. “Substantial research and critical testing has been conducted in reliance on the 5.9 GHz band which proves that time-critical communications of these safety systems must be able to operate without delay or interference," she said.

Global Automakers president and CEO John Bozzella said that decisions over sharing the Safety Spectrum should be driven first and foremost by public safety. He claimed that V2V technology has the potential to prevent over 1,000 deaths a year, while 2094 Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers president and CEO Mitch Bainwol said, “V2V communications will help move us from crash survival to crash avoidance - the future of improved highway safety. That's why spectrum is so important and why a 'do no harm' approach to 5.9 is absolutely imperative."

Related Content

  • Nacto urges NHTSA not to let automakers 'off the hook' on VRU safety
    July 24, 2023
    Senior transport leaders want changes to proposed federal rules on vehicle safety ratings
    Read More
  • Road safety - the challenge ahead
    April 25, 2012
    More than 1.3 million people die in road accidents each year. If nothing is done, this already chilling figure risks to rise to 1.9 million deaths per year. Around 90 per cent of road fatalities occur in emerging and developing countries. Here, the mixture of population growth and higher numbers of vehicles due to rising incomes are proving a deadly combination, as infrastructure and regulatory environment have difficulty keeping pace.
    Read More
  • ITS technology reduces congestion, improves workzone safety
    July 17, 2012
    As the road-building season gets under way in the US, the Federal Highway Administration has just published a White Paper which deals with the use of ITS technology in work zones. On 30 April 2009, the US Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) published a White Paper which was prepared by the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) to inform public agencies about the use of ITS to manage construction work zones. This is a particularly relevant topic given the large number of construction projects that are ex
    Read More
  • NHTSA to release monthly ADS data
    June 17, 2022
    First safety reports now available for SAE Level 2 and Levels 3-5 automated driving systems
    Read More

Highlighted Content