Project: #355 Rethinking Connected Vehicles for Spectrum Scarcity Progress Report - Reporting Period Ending: Sept. 30, 2021 Principal Investigator: Jon Peha Status: Active Start Date: July 1, 2021 End Date: June 30, 2022 Research Type: Advanced Grant Type: Research Grant Program: FAST Act - Mobility National (2016 - 2022) Grant Cycle: 2021 Mobility UTC Progress Report (Last Updated: Sept. 21, 2021, 5:28 p.m.) % Project Completed to Date: 10 % Grant Award Expended: 5 % Match Expended & Document: 10 USDOT Requirements Accomplishments The objective of this project is to explore spectrum management approaches that would make it possible to support many important goals for connected vehicles despite the fact that the Federal Communication Commission has recently reduced the spectrum available for this purpose by 60%, thereby creating spectrum scarcity. In particular, we consider approaches in which connected vehicles make use of both spectrum dedicated exclusively to intelligent transportation systems and spectrum that must be shared with other kinds of wireless systems that can be sources of significant interference. Our primary accomplishment in the first two months of the project was to develop novel algorithms for V2X transmitters that are designed to make use of multiple spectrum bands that have very different interference characteristics, i.e. some may be subject to interference from devices that do not follow V2X protocols for interference avoidance. In future research, we will continue to develop these novel algorithms, we will develop complex simulation software systems that can employ many such algorithms, and we will quantitatively assess their performance. This project has also created an opportunity for professional development by supporting a PhD student. It may create more such opportunities in the future. Impacts Nothing to report at this time. Other In July and August, we made significant progress in the invention of a novel way for intelligent transportation systems to make effective use of both spectrum dedicated to connected vehicles and spectrum that is shared with other kinds of wireless systems. Our novel band selection algorithms intelligently determine which packets and packet streams should be transmitted over which spectrum band. In the future, we will assess these algorithms quantitatively. Outcomes New Partners None Issues It was expected that this grant would support 100% of a PhD student, and a small fraction of a professor. Just over two months into the project, that PhD student began a medical leave of absence. He will be out for the rest of 2021, and possibly much longer. We do not know as of this writing.. To prepare for the possibility that he might not return during this grant period, the PI has been meeting with other PhD students to determine if a suitable student might be available to join the project. Funding is not being spent as we address these personnel issues, so we can make sure that all Mobility 21 funding will be spent well.