A coalition of automakers has urged the Federal Communications Commission not to move forward with a plan to use part of the wireless spectrum allocated for vehicle connectivity for Internet access until testing can be completed to ensure it won’t interfere with future planned vehicle-to- vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communications.
The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers and The Association of Global Automakers submitted joint comments this week in response to the FCC’s proposal to give unlicensed wireless devices access to the 5.9 GHz frequency band that was allocated in 1999 for the development of “connected vehicle” safety solutions that could alert drivers to accidents, traffic congestion or inclement weather. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reportedly believes the use connected vehicle technology could also reduce vehicle crashes by up to 80 percent.
However, many automakers are concerned that opening the 5.9 GHz frequency band to other wireless devices will cause interference and affect the integrity of communications between vehicles on the road and road equipment, such as traffic lights.
“These critical safety systems require that communications go through every time without delay. That’s why automakers have concerns with the 5.9 GHz frequency band becoming congested,” Alliance President and CEO Mitch Bainwol said.
“There is no room for error in vehicle safety, and we want the FCC to do its homework to ensure there is no risk involved with spectrum sharing,” Mike Stanton, president and CEO of The Association of Global Automakers, said.
