ITS America Celebrates FCC Announcement of Connected Vehicle Spectrum Waiver

Statement by ITS America President and CEO Laura Chace

Statements & Press Releases

Issues:

Connected Vehicles

April 24, 2023

Washington, D.C. – “Today, the FCC finalized approval of a joint waiver allowing 14 states, automakers, and other stakeholders to utilize the 5.9 GHz spectrum to deploy Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything (C-V2X) technology.

The approval of this waiver is the first step to fully utilizing this lifesaving innovation and news we have long been waiting to hear. As deaths on our nation’s roadways continue to soar, it is critical that we maximize use of connected vehicle technology to keep all road users safe.

Today’s decision is a win for investing in the digital layer of transportation that enhances safety for all who travel on our nation’s roads.

We want to thank all those who have helped us get to this point. Those at the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for their work to advance this waiver, along with the National Transportation Safety Board, Senators Gary Peters and Cynthia Lummis as well as Chair Sam Graves, Ranking Member Rick Larsen and Congressmen Garret Graves and Salud Carbajal for their support of this technology.

This is a crucial first step towards deploying lifesaving communications technology that will augment thousands of miles of hard infrastructure on our nation’s roadways, beginning immediately. Several other entities, not included in this joint waiver, have also requested waivers, and we urge the FCC to move quickly to approve all outstanding waiver requests.

ITS America calls on USDOT and the FCC to build on this momentum and establish final rules that will govern V2X services within the 5.9 GHz band and fully protect V2X from harmful interference. We are confident that such leadership will help establish a framework of spectrum regulatory certainty that enables investment in and deployment of these important safety solutions.”

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About ITS America

The Intelligent Transportation Society of America advances the research and deployment of intelligent transportation technologies to save lives, improve mobility, promote sustainability, and increase efficiency and productivity. Our vision is a better future transformed by transportation technology and innovation: Safer, Greener, Smarter. For All. For more information, please visit www.itsa.org.

Let’s Transform the Future Together.

Technology evolves faster than we can imagine the future. Rapidly evolving transportation innovations are being developed and deployed that promise to entirely reshape the way our transportation network operates, facilitating vast improvements to transportation safety and overall mobility. The promise of these innovations is apparent, but the deployment and application of these technologies is not without challenges. While technology disrupts the transportation ecosystem with new innovations and ideas, government, communities, private companies, and researchers must race to catch up to and contend with ideas never thought possible. How do we accelerate change and safely embrace new technology while promoting collaboration across industry to advance shared societal goals? Through nonprofits like the Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America).

ITS America and its members have been at the center of these innovations, advocating for transformational technology to save lives, promote sustainability, and improve access to mobility.

Join us.

As advocates for transportation innovation throughout the world’s largest transportation network, ITS America’s public, private and academic members are dedicated to championing smart mobility strategies to ensure safe and thriving communities.
Ramin Massoumi, Global Solutions Director – Mobility, arcadis
Private companies, public agencies and academic institutions committed to influencing the future of intelligent transportation come together at ITS America. Every day, our members advance technology solutions that save lives and improve mobility across the country – in cities, suburbs, and rural communities.
Malcolm Dougherty, National Practice Executive, Transportation, Michael Baker International
At ITS America, our public, private and academic sector members are committed to deploying intelligent transportation technologies to save lives and improve mobility on our nation’s roads. While transportation constantly evolves, we will do all we can to ensure it continues to be the engine that drives our nation’s economy and contributes to improving our quality of life.
Carlos Braceras, Director, Utah Department of Transportation