Connected Vehicles Can Lead to

the Future of Auto Safety

The transportation system people dream of — one that’s truly integrated with even safer, more efficient and faster mobility — can become a reality with broad, reliable connectivity. That’s the very type of connectivity that the Road Safety Spectrum allows at the 5.9 GHz band.

Transformational Change

Right now, transportation stands on the cusp of transformational change. The auto industry is actively deploying safety-critical, Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) technologies. Automakers and other companies are also working on Vehicle-to Everything (V2X) applications that will enable vehicles to communicate with critical infrastructure, other vehicles, and other road users. This includes communication with bicyclists, pedestrians, and traffic lights, as well as advanced alerts and warnings of roadway hazards.

There were more than 36,000 roadway fatalities in 2018. Bicyclist and pedestrian deaths increased by 10% in 2018. Add to that the incredible financial burden of motor vehicle crashes: approximately 2 million people are injured every year, and they cost the U.S. economy an estimated $836 billion annually. According to the U.S. DOT, V2X technologies, if widely deployed, have the potential to address the vast majority of light vehicle crashes.

What are V2V and V2X communications?

These are critical safety systems that rely on nearly instant communications. In order to be effective, these potentially lifesaving communications must transmit every time without delay or harmful interference. They work because cars talking to one another and to key roadway infrastructure can provide drivers and pedestrians with real-time crash avoidance alerts and warnings. These are safety-critical communications.

Testing

The U.S. Department of Transportation, the Federal Communications Commission and the U.S. Department of Commerce working with stakeholders on testing…
…testing is necessary so automakers can be assured that blink-of-an-eye speed communications can operate in a spectrum that is free from interference.

Laboratory testing to evaluate potential for harmful interference among unlicensed and V2X prototype devices. (Completed Fall 2018)

Basic field testing with vehicles on closed course test grounds — a simulation of the real world.

More vehicles, more test devices, more real-world scenarios in a larger, naturalistic environment. 

Comments to the Federal Communications Commission

Alliance Submits Comments to FCC on the Importance of Automotive Safety

On June 12, 2019, the Auto Alliance submitted comments to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on the importance of automotive safety being a priority …

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Alliance Submits ‘Reply’ Comments to the FCC in response to 6 GHz band NPRM

On March 18, the Auto Alliance submitted its ‘Reply’ Comments to the Federal Communications Commission’s Notice of Public Rule Making for proposed rules …

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