Washington, DC—After the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted yesterday to reassign a portion of the 5.9 GHz transportation safety band to allow use by unlicensed Wi-Fi content providers, SAFE President and CEO Robbie Diamond made the following statement:
“The future of transportation is connected transportation. The FCC’s decision to eat away at the spectrum set aside for this connectivity will not only limit the considerable benefits of this technology to the United States, but also hamper American efforts to lead the global transition into the future of mobility. This leadership could shift elsewhere—to the EU or China—potentially putting the United States in a position of relying on other countries for its transportation future.”
Preserving the full safety band was also a recommendation in SAFE’s recent report, The Commanding Heights of Global Transportation. The report noted that improved vehicle connectivity and intelligent transportation systems hold the potential to save thousands of lives and billions of dollars every year, and maintaining the full band would help the United States compete with China for leadership in tomorrow’s connected, autonomous, shared and electric transportation.
“The consequences are both economic and strategic. From truck platooning to smarter city driving and safer streets, the potential of this technology to improve safety, efficiency and productivity will now be hindered by the FCC’s decision,” Diamond added.
In March this year, the Energy Security Leadership Council (ESLC), a project of SAFE, wrote to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai urging the agency to maintain the safety band, in addition to comments from SAFE. Both the letter and comments argued that cutting the safety band would derail the safety and efficiency benefits it can deliver, thereby hurting U.S. economic and national security goals.
Contact: Alex Adams | 202.461.2374 | aadams@secureenergy.org
About SAFE
SAFE enhances the nation’s energy security and supports our economic resurgence and resiliency, by advancing transformative transportation and mobility technologies and ensuring that the United States secures key aspects of the technology supply chain to achieve and maintain our strategic advantage.
In partnership with the Electrification Coalition, SAFE’s sister organization, we work with consumers, businesses, and policymakers, to launch award-winning “real-world” programs and enable the needed polices to accelerate transportation electrification around the country to reduce our Nation’s dependence on oil.
