The Republican leaders of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit have written to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) asking that the agency maintain the 5.9GHz spectrum band specifically for transportation safety and reject a proposal that would reallocate some of that spectrum for non-transportation uses, which could impede the incorporation of safety technologies into the transportation network.
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Ranking Member Sam Graves (R-MO) and Highways and Transit Subcommittee Ranking Member Rodney Davis (R-IL) wrote to the Chairman and Commissioners of the FCC to express their concerns that taking away this dedicated spectrum would counter progress being made in transportation safety and discourage future technological improvements that can help reduce the more than 36,000 annual highway fatalities in the United States.
“Ensuring that this spectrum remains devoted to developing transportation technologies will be instrumental to preventing accidents and reducing congestion throughout the Nation’s vast road network for years to come. States, localities, and many stakeholders continue to employ and develop additional uses for this critical spectrum, and this proposal by the FCC would be a tremendous setback to our national efforts to utilize technology to improve infrastructure and safety," said Ranking Members Graves and Davis.
Earlier today, these statements were also released by a broad coalition of transportation safety stakeholders, including:
Intelligent Transportation Society of America
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
AAA
American Highway Users Alliance
American Trucking Associations
Global Automakers
Institute of Transportation Engineers
League of American Bicyclists
Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association
NAFA Fleet Management Association
Peloton Technology
Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association
Source: House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
