The USA’s Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has adopted final rules for cellular-vehicle-to-everything (C-V2X) technology.
The Report and Order, released November 21, 2024, after a unanimous vote by the bipartisan Commission, promotes efficient use of 30 megahertz of spectrum dedicated for ITS in the 5.9GHz band.
The spectrum available for ITS was reduced by 45MHz by an FCC decision in 2020, with subsequent attempts by transportation bodies to overturn the ruling proving unsuccessful. However, the new rules now provide final clarity on how the remaining 30MHz can be used by C-V2X in-vehicle and roadside units in the US.
The Order permits devices that have already been authorized under C-V2X waivers to continue to be marketed and operated, and provides a timeline for sunsetting existing Dedicated Short-Range Communications (DSRC)-based technology.
It codifies C-V2X technical parameters in the Commission’s rules, including power and emission limits and message prioritization.
“We are pleased that the FCC has approved the widespread deployment of C-V2X technology to improve roadway safety,” said Bryan Mulligan, president of Applied Information, one of North America’s leaders in connected-vehicle technology. “Now communities can focus on the benefits of C-V2X and work to deploy this life-saving technology.
“We expect to see accelerated deployment across the US focusing on Day One applications, such as giving emergency vehicles green lights for better and safer response times and reducing speeds of vehicles around schools.”
For nearly a decade, Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has led a bipartisan push to reconsider the best use of the 5.9GHz band that had long been designated for automobile safety technology.
“The FCC’s efforts to evolve the 5.9 GHz band are a win-win. It drives innovation in our wireless and transportation economies and can help keep us safe on our roadways when we walk, ride and drive,” says FCC chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. “I thank the FCC staff, as well as federal and state partners, for their dedication to this game-changing spectrum project.”
The rules also provide flexibility for the auto industry to use three 10-megahertz channels either separately or in combination as a 20-megahertz channel or as a single 30-megahertz channel.
The FCC says that the new rules will accelerate the automotive industry and state and federal government plans for transitioning from dated technology to the more advanced C-V2X automobile safety technology.
