Slashdot Mirror
FCC Approves Highway Radiosystems
prostoalex writes "According to iWon/AP, the FCC has approved a range of radio frequencies to be used on US highways for transmitting important traffic information. The technology is still 5-10 years away from being implemented in cars and on the roads, but the FCC has set aside a special area of the spectrum instead of sharing the frequencies with other applications and devices. As for uses, there's currently a test running at an intersection in McLean, Va., where sensors can automatically warn a motorist when another car is approaching, thus helping to avoid a collision."
FCC OKs New Frequency for Highway Systems
Email this Story
Dec 17, 12:16 PM (ET)
By JONATHAN D. SALANT
WASHINGTON (AP) - Federal regulators approved a step Wednesday toward developing smart highways, where warning signals automatically transmitted to drivers can prevent traffic accidents.
The Federal Communications Commission set aside an area of broadcast spectrum to transmit those signals, rather than have them share space with electronic toll sensors, cell phones and garage door openers.
"Smart radio technology means smarter highways, safer roads and a more secure homeland," FCC Chairman Michael Powell said.
Transportation Department officials are testing the technology at an intersection in McLean, Va., where sensors can automatically warn a motorist when another car is approaching, thus helping to avoid a collision.
The technology, still five to 10 years away from being installed in cars and along highways, also could use a beep, a dashboard light or an electronic voice to tell drivers when it's safe to change lanes, or when to put on the breaks to avoid rear-ending the motorist in front.
"There were a couple of cars ahead of me this morning that would have used this collision avoidance system," FCC Commissioner Kathleen Abernathy said.
Wednesday's FCC vote gave that technology its own frequencies.
"This is a piece of a larger picture," said John Muleta, chief of the FCC's wireless bureau.
The warnings can be received within 100 yards of the transmitters, and thus are only for communications between vehicles or between a vehicle and a sensor along the road.
"This new radio spectrum will help prevent crashes, bring important real-time information into cars and let drivers concentrate on driving," Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta said.
HOW'S MY POSTING? CALL 1-800-POSTING
FAQ here.
And remember kids: Never trust a computer you can actually lift.
IEEE 802.11 is working on this NOW. The Task Group is called WAVE (Wireless Access in Vehicular Environment), and the next meeting is at the IEEE 802.11 Interim Meeting in Vancouver in January. IEEE Meetings are open to all, BTW. Just pay your registration fee, show up and participate.
You may find a FCC allocation chart for most frequencies at http://www.mysticunderground.net/fcc.html
The FCC's release says it's been allocated 5.850 - 5.925 GHz. The press release (it's a PDF) has some background on the service, and also a few notes on things that have to happen before the use of this new radio service can become widespread.
Allocation of the 5850 - 5925 MHz band (i.e. 5.9 GHz) as reported here with further links. This is also knows as DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communications) and has been around intelligent transportation for some time.
Conceivable applications include:
- Toll tags for automated payment (already exist)
- Co-operative cruise control ("I'm car X at coordinates Y and I'm braking at Z rate") for improved speed management
- Autopayment at gas stations and McD's
- Notification of active emergency vehicles in your vicinity (cars cabins are getting better insulated and stereos are getting louder...)
- In-vehicle warnings relayed by intersections ("Car Y, someone is approaching the intersection from your left and it looks like they will hit you")
- and much, much more
Researchers have been dreaming up applications in this space for a long time.PS - If I remember correctly, the cited intersection does not use DSCR, it simply tracks incoming cars and warns if it thinks someone may get hit. I think it's a high speed rural highway intersection. I've seen presentations on it but it's been a while.
http://www.mysticunderground.net/allochrt.pdf
It's a good thing I can't afford the 76G to play with it, I would be testing it behind my brothers commaro at 150.
Caddilac give the disclaimer: *Adaptive Cruise Control is not a substitute for the driver's personal responsibility to operate the vehicle in a safe manner. lol
Saying Java is nice because it works on all OS's is like saying that anal sex is nice because it works on all genders.
...like the RDS TP/TA system...
...which has been used in Europe for what, almost a decade now...
RDS is designed to be super-imposed on an existing broadcast signal (double sideband suppressed sub carrier blah blah.) It is applicable to broadcasters that have a loud signal covering a wide area.
Allow me to save many readers the 10 seconds it would take to discover what RDS TP/TA means: TP (Traffic Program flag) is a part of the RDS signal that indicates that a particular RDS broadcaster provides "traffic announcements" a some unspecified time. TA (Traffic Announcement flag) is another flag that indicates when an "traffic announcement" is being broadcast.
If you want to use RDS (via existing broadcasters) to send a signal to a specific vehicle to prevent a collision, you have to multiplex the data gathered by a large number of sites into a single RDS stream, broadcast it, and then find a way for all the receivers to filter out irrelevant RDS data (thousands of other cars not about to collide.) Or you might scale down RDS to deal with things like individual intersections, but you would then need a reserved spectrum...which is exactly what the FCC just approved.
A network of transceivers designed to monitor, signal and possibly control traffic has a number of obvious technical constraints that have probably never been considered by RDS. Off the top of my head I think of; latency guarantees, non-interference in confined areas, an elaborate definition of codes necessary to impart traffic relevant information in real-time, priorities, etc. RDS doesn't do all this.
RDS is widely available in the US. I have it and I didn't even know it until my Bose started displaying song titles broadcast by local stations. It probably implements TP/TA for all I know. I've never bothered to look.
Maw! Fire up the karma burner!
You may find a FCC allocation chart for most frequencies at http://www.mysticunderground.net/fcc.html
it says:
A summary of the FCC Table of Frequency Allocations, based on
the Oct '93 Code of Federal Regulations
doesn't seem up-to-date
Marge, get me your address book, 4 beers, and my conversation hat.
Why is this funny???
The X-Band on radar detectors now implement SWS, Safety Warning System. Same system described here but over another frequency.
http://www.adrawa.com.au/SWS.htm
That's a link I could find
Let's not all suck at the same time please
The technology is 802.11 based. It is currently referenced as 802.11p. The standard implements IPv6, and modifies the MAC to enforce channel priorities (safety first, McDonalds drive through second). The standard currently includes no applications. It is generally expected that various industries (toll, ITS, entertainment, etc.) will each standardize applications for their respective industry. Expect to see fairly comprehensive security systems implemented in applications that are public safety or financial in nature.
http://www.invisiblue.com/
As long as their is a market someone will make it.