A newly updated US Department of Transportation (USDOT) website provides detailed information about the 5.9 GHz Safety Band, a segment of the wireless spectrum that is crucial to the deployment of connected and automated vehicles.
Established by the Federal Communications Commission in 1999, the Safety Band is a part of the wireless spectrum at 5.9 GHz reserved for transportation-related communications between the devices that support connected and automated vehicles, and related infrastructure.
Connected vehicles use the interference-free Safety Band for high-precision, low latency, location-specific communication between vehicles and traffic signals, roadside units, work zones, and even personal devices like smart phones, at 10 times per second. The technology generates real-time alerts to prevent crashes, manage traffic flow, warn drivers about hazardous weather conditions, or adjust signals to give emergency vehicles priority in congested traffic.
The technology has the potential to dramatically improve our transportation safety and mobility. That is why federal, state, and local governments have invested more than $2 billion deploying this life-saving technology.
The site describes how three cutting-edge communities are using the Safety Band: New York City, Tampa, and Wyoming.
The Safety Band website also features interactive maps that identify where local communities are using the Safety Band for vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communications. In addition, the website offers fact sheets, technical reports, easy-to-follow presentations, and content from past conferences on the Safety Band.
