Automakers, Highway Safety Advocates, ITS Community Welcome Government Action on Connected Car Technology

WASHINGTON, Dec. 13, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A coalition of automakers, highway safety advocates and intelligent transportation organizations welcome the release of the Department of Transportation's notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to establish an interoperable platform for Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) communications in new vehicles to provide safety and mobility benefits.

John Bozzella, President and CEO of the Association of Global Automakers said, "Today's release of the V2V NPRM is a critical step to enabling connected car technologies that promise to improve highway safety and deliver significant lifesaving benefits."

The auto industry and the government have spent hundreds of millions of dollars in research, development and testing of connected vehicle technology. This technology, which can enhance the safety and performance of automated and non-automated vehicles, has been tested in deployments throughout the country including in Arizona, California, Michigan, New York, and Virginia.   The NPRM and forthcoming final rule will help provide the transportation industry, including automakers, aftermarket suppliers, and road operators, with the standardization and certainty they need to quickly deploy this revolutionary technology. 

Regina Hopper, President and CEO of the Intelligent Transportation Society of America said, "This is an important step forward toward ensuring the full potential of V2V to dramatically reduce roadway fatalities and transform mobility in our nation.  This DOT standard will ensure that we quickly achieve a critical mass of vehicles on the road that can communicate with each other and with the infrastructure."

V2V communication technology uses Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC) that operates within the 5.9 GHz Safety Spectrum band to help avoid crashes and reduce fatalities.  It is the only fully tested and deployable communications technology in existence today that can accomplish this goal. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that just two of the many V2V applications now being developed will save 1,000 lives per year.

"Today, we have millions of drivers behind the wheel, spend millions of dollars on education and enforcement campaigns and recognize billions in economic losses as a result of crashes," said Deborah Hersman, President and CEO of the National Safety Council. "The National Safety Council estimates there were 38,300 highway deaths in 2015 and 4.4 million injuries. Operating a motor vehicle remains one of the deadliest things we do on a daily basis in spite of safer vehicle designs and record-setting seat belt use rates across the nation. V2V has the potential to prevent thousands of highway crashes, and action by NHTSA will pave the way toward greater implementation of DSRC technology."

The 5.9GHz "Safety Spectrum" was dedicated by the federal government to this life-saving technology to ensure that V2V and vehicle-to-infrastructure communications are protected from harmful interference. The Federal Communications Commission is currently evaluating the potential for sharing the Safety Spectrum. Global Automakers, the National Safety Council, AAA, and ITS America, have joined together to create the Safety Spectrum Coalition to support V2V deployment and make sure that public safety drives the government decisions on spectrum sharing.

"Given that traffic fatalities increased by 7.7 percent in 2015 and continued trending upward over the first half of 2016, the importance of applying innovative technologies to improve safety cannot be overstated," said Marshall Doney, AAA President and CEO.  "We need tested technologies, like DSRC V2V communications, to help reverse this troubling trend."

Connected and automated vehicles represent the next giant leap towards our shared long-term goal of safer and more efficient vehicle transportation.  To achieve these benefits, we look forward to an ongoing collaboration between federal, state and local government, industry, academia, and other stakeholders.

The Association of Global Automakers represents international motor vehicle manufacturers, original equipment suppliers, and other automotive-related trade associations. We work with industry leaders, legislators, and regulators to create the kind of public policy that improves vehicle safety, encourages technological innovation, and protects our planet. Our goal is to foster a competitive environment in which more vehicles are designed and built to enhance Americans' quality of life. For more information, visit www.globalautomakers.org.

Contact: Annemarie Pender
202.650.5548 | [email protected]

SOURCE Global Automakers