Vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology promises a connected transport ecosystem where vehicles share pivotal information from their sensors, cameras and internal systems with pedestrians, other vehicles and road infrastructure. Drawing on wireless connectivity, signals can be received around corners or other obstructions and in poor visual conditions, conveying details that the car or its occupants cannot see. If enough pieces of the puzzle are connected with the right technology, the end result would be safer, smoother flowing roads and optimised energy use.
The technology has been around for a couple of decades, and in 1999, the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) set aside the 5.9 GHz band for its use. However, uptake has been slower than expected, and in 2020 the FCC reallocated part of that spectrum use to Wi-Fi users. More recently, V2X has been described as ‘zombie tech’, not dead but not quite alive either.
That could soon change, as the US Department of Transportation (DOT) has published a national plan to accelerate the use of V2X connectivity.
