The USA’s National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), which represents over 300 electrical equipment and medical imaging manufacturers that make safe, reliable, and efficient products and systems, has issued new standards for roadside V2X hardware.
NEMA’s Connected Vehicle Infrastructure – Roadside Equipment Standard (NEMA TS 40010-2024) facilitates better communication among over-the-air wireless safety messages, applications, and cybersecurity measures for connected vehicles and the larger transportation ecosystem in the US.
The standard will provide better detection and warning systems for drivers when vulnerable road users such as pedestrians are present, reduce accidents and traffic congestion, and decrease carbon emissions.
NEMA’s Transportation Management Section developed this standard as a resource for transportation infrastructure owners and operators who procure the equipment for secure communications among vehicles, infrastructure, and personal devices.
“As we electrify and connect the transportation sector, NEMA’s standard will be a valuable tool to transportation leaders to inform their procurement decisions and improve communication on our roadways,” says Patrick Hughes, senior vice president of technical affairs at NEMA. “Transportation infrastructure is a long-term investment, and today’s decisions will either accelerate or hit the brakes on the transition to an electric, connected transportation sector. Improving safety and reducing emissions is possible using today’s technology, but infrastructure owners and operators must make informed decisions grounded in industry standards like this one.”
One example of how connected vehicle technologies are improving roadway conditions can be found in Detroit, where the Michigan Department of Transportation is piloting sensors in vehicles that collect data about roads, and “signal preemption” that enhances communication between ambulances responding to emergencies and roadside controllers.
NEMA’s standard contains key guidance that enables agencies and other transportation infrastructure owner/operators to procure and deploy connected vehicle roadside units to:
- Reduce crashes and roadway fatalities as the highest priority
- Reduce traffic congestion, fuel consumption, and emissions
- Provide automated vehicles with situational awareness to supplement onboard sensors
Together, NEMA members contribute 1% of US GDP and directly provide nearly 460,000 American jobs, contributing more than $250 billion to the US economy. Learn more at www.nema.org
