Right of the Dial: FCC May Open Automotive Safety Radio Frequency for Telecom Use

The Federal Communications Commission has decided to review how the radio spectrum intended for wireless communications should be divided. While a seemingly normal part of its duties, the reassessment could open up a part of the spectrum that was previously reserved for automotive applications. The super-high 5.9 GHz frequency reserved for cars was deemed important because it would help enable low-power connectivity in remote and high-density areas, allowing for vehicles to more reliably transmit information between each other and the infrastructure. This was framed by the interested parties as essential for helping to develop safe, autonomous driving systems but it could likely also work to aid any data-based services they offer in the future.

Meanwhile, cable companies, the telecom industry, and internet service providers (ISPs) don’t think it’s fair that automakers are getting their own slice of bandwidth when they’re not even using it yet. Carmakers have been working on vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure, and dedicated short-range communication (DSRC) for years without much in the way of consumer applications.

Based on the FCC’s previous decision regarding net neutrality, which some automakers supported, telecom and cable companies definitely enjoy what one could conservatively call a strong relationship with the government agency. FCC chairman Ajit Pai, has already moved to open the spectrum for unlicensed usage, meaning various industries would be able to utilize more of the bandwidth without prior approval.

Roger Lanctot, an analyst with Strategy Analytics, recently told Automotive News that the FCC sees mobile data and ISPs taking “a higher priority than protecting spectrum for safety applications.” He continued by noting any “decision the FCC has to make will impact both cellular and DSRC.”

Automakers inability to populate their portion of the bandwidth in a timely manner is likely what’s doing them in now. Spectrum allocation has been taking place since the 1990s, but manufacturers are only just starting to get into developing widespread systems that might actively utilize it.

“At the time of the allocation, we did not have the commercial applications or new radar technologies that can play a key role in improving highway safety and thus saving lives,” Pai said in July. “My hope is that we make a smart decision quickly to allow this spectrum to directly benefit consumers.”

But there’s an issue; DSRC is starting to be implemented in cities across the country. According to regulators, there’s already $38 million worth of connected infrastructure investment planned by 2020 across federal, state and local governments. Those systems could do everything from helping busy city streets self-regulate traffic flow using adaptive traffic lights to allowing the local police to track what your vehicle is doing in any given moment — depending on whether you like the utopian or dystopian angle more.

While the FCC’s decision wouldn’t prohibit DSRC from being utilized on automobiles, it may force vehicles to share bandwidth with cellular networks and the like. The primary concern here is that unfettered access would make those systems less reliable, which is important for something that is supposed to function as a safety net for drivers using advanced tech.

The FCC has announced it will vote to make unlicensed usage of the 6.0 GHz band available, spanning from about 5.9 GHz to 7.1 GHz, for mobile devices, etc, later this month — following some aggressive lobbying on behalf of the Internet & Television Association (NCTA). Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Transportation has said it wants to continue reserving a potion of the spectrum for automotive safety applications.