AASHTO, ITSA Ask DC Circuit to Overrule FCC on 5.9 GHz
ITS America and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to overturn last year’s 5-0 FCC order splitting the 5.9 GHz band between Wi-Fi and auto safety (see…
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2011180043). “The Commission’s actions … are in excess of the statutory authority,” they said. The decision to “reallocate 45 MHz of the 5.9 GHz band for use unrelated to automotive safety curtails the usefulness of the Safety Band, undercuts the goals of the Congressionally-established ITS program, and directly contravenes the recommendations of the agency responsible for designing and overseeing the [intelligent transportation system] program,” the groups said Wednesday, noting opposition by the Department of Transportation to the order. Vehicle-to-everything "technologies continue to be our best available tool to significantly reduce crashes,” said ITSA President Shailen Bhatt. The agency isn’t expected to rethink its approach (see 2105210047). The order “ensures much-needed Wi‑Fi capacity for consumers while also promoting the development of new connected car technologies,” WifiForward said in a statement: “The FCC acted well within its authority.” The commission didn't comment.