Project: #322 Spectrum for Connected Vehicles Progress Report - Reporting Period Ending: March 31, 2021 Principal Investigator: Jon Peha Status: Active Start Date: July 1, 2020 End Date: June 30, 2021 Research Type: Advanced Grant Type: Research Grant Program: FAST Act - Mobility National (2016 - 2022) Grant Cycle: 2020 Mobility21 UTC Progress Report (Last Updated: March 28, 2021, 5:17 p.m.) % Project Completed to Date: 40 % Grant Award Expended: 40 % Match Expended & Document: 40 USDOT Requirements Accomplishments Our goal is to produce research results that will help spectrum policymakers make informed decisions about how to manage spectrum for connected (and perhaps autonomous) vehicles. We are also providing training opportunities, most notably by admitting a new Ph.D. student to Carnegie Mellon University in 2020, specifically to do research in this area as his dissertation. We are also offering content on connected vehicles through Carnegie Mellon courses. We have made significant progress in disseminating our results, including publication of an important proposal to advance spectrum policy for intelligent transportation systems, and eight public presentations from July 2020 to March 2021, at fora ranging from a U.S. Transportation Research Board conference to an international IEEE conference to a meeting sponsored by an arm of the United Nations. We hope to continue these activities in the remainder of the year. Impacts We have made significant progress on technology transfer, i.e. the transfer of results to entities in government involved in spectrum policy for intelligent transportation systems, and to those companies that are working with government on spectrum issues. In August of 2020, we published an important paper that proposed a new approach to addressing spectrum policy, and to resolving the impasse between the Department of Transportation and the Federal Communications Commission, and between federal policymakers and state and local policymakers. The paper got attention in the press, including articles such as "Ex-FCC Chief Technologist Calls for Connected Vehicles Task Force" in telecom policy’s leading daily newspaper. The PI has since raised this paper with high-level individuals at both the Federal Communications Commission and the Department of Transportation. Spectrum for intelligent transportation systems is a global issue. Automobile and telecom equipment vendors sell their products all over the world, and spectrum policymakers often try to harmonize their policies to facilitate this where possible. The PI has been speaking about this issue with major players on the global stage, including delivering a keynote entitled “Spectrum for Intelligent Transportation Systems” at a workshop on spectrum policy organized by the International Telecommunications Union, which is the telecom arm of the United Nations. This was followed by meetings with spectrum policymakers from a number of countries. We have increased the body of scientific knowledge in this area by advancing work on how spectrum policy affects the ability of specific applications to prevent crashes and improve roadway safety. For example, we have shown how spectrum decisions affect the ability of a “forward collision warning” application to warn drivers of danger. Other None Outcomes New Partners Panasonic, ITS America Issues In December 2020, the Federal Communications Commission voted unanimously to reduce the amount of spectrum allocated for intelligent transportation systems by 60%, to eliminate use of DSRC technology and replace that with C-V2X technology, and to make other changes. More specifics will come out in 2021. This may make our work even more important. It changes our understanding of the most important research questions to address. We are in the process of shifting focus accordingly. It will not affect expenditures.