The 5.9 GHz Band

Twenty years ago, policymakers set aside the 5.9 GHz band of frequencies specifically for auto safety and vehicle-to-vehicle radio communications. Unfortunately, the band remains almost completely unused. While Wi-Fi is saturating the band immediately below 5.9 GHz and generating hundreds of billions of dollars in consumer welfare annually, the set-aside of 5.9 GHz for a specific auto industry use case and technology has proven an abject failure. It’s time to recognize that both auto safety and wireless technologies have changed markedly, justifying a fresh look at the highest and best use of the 75 megahertz allocated to intelligent transportation systems at 5.9 GHz.