Feds approve 5.9G safety band to prevent auto crashes

Automakers will now be able to use the 5.9GHz wireless band spectrum to deploy connected vehicle technology intended to improve traffic safety and prevent crashes.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved a waiver request filed in 2021 by several automakers, including Volkswagen Audi, Ford, Jaguar, and Land Rover.

The connected technology is known in the auto industry as Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything, or C-V2X and is broadcast interference-free on the 5.9GHz spectrum.

The spectrum block, dubbed the “Safety Band,” was allocated for the connected technology back in 1999, but because the tech was still in its infant stages, the band has largely been unused.

According to the 5G Automotive Association (5GAA), a cross-industry global organization of companies from the automotive, technology, and telecommunications industries, “C-V2X is a connected mobility platform that allows vehicles to interact with their surroundings, such as other vehicles, cyclists, pedestrians, road infrastructure, or mobile networks.”

Not only will the technology allow communication among other vehicles and infrastructure, but the 5GAA states it also allows the vehicle to “receive real-time information about road conditions and local traffic,” improving driver safety.

The connected devices enable communication between “vehicles and traffic lights, generate real-time alerts or warnings, and adjust signals to give emergency vehicles priority in heavy traffic - dramatically improving our transportation safety and mobility,” according to the US Department of Transportation.

Utah and Virginia state transportation departments, Harman, and Panasonic also filed the waiver requests.

The FCC approval will allow the specific automakers and other parties to “collectively deploy and facilitate deployment of [C-V2X] technology immediately.”

A 2022 US government report, Connected Vehicles, raised cybersecurity concerns relating to C-V2X and the overall increased connectivity to external systems.

The FCC did not appear to address any of the security concerns raised by the earlier report during Monday's approval.

The lack of ability to perform proper software updates and refresh security certificates because of the limited bandwidth of the 5.9GHz spectrum was just one of the security weaknesses mentioned.

Other concerns included interference with the operation of safety-critical applications and interactive messaging systems.

The V2X technology is already being used in the EU, the UK, Australia, and Canada.