FCC Adopts Rules Facilitating the Transition to C-V2X Technology for the Connected Vehicle Ecosystem

On November 20, 2024, the Federal Communications Commission (the "Commission") issued a Second Report and Order in which it adopted rules ("the Order") to facilitate the transition to from Dedicated Short Range Communications ("DSRC") technology to Cellular-Vehicle-to-Everything ("C-V2X") technology for the Intelligent Transportation System ("ITS" also referred to as the "connected vehicle ecosystem"). Notably, the Order was adopted by a unanimous, bipartisan vote. In a press release, the Commission said that the Order will "accelerate the automotive industry and federal government plans for transitioning from dated technology to the more advanced C-V2X automobile safety technology."

The Order follows a 2020 Order in which the Commission retained the upper 30 megahertz of the 5.9 GHz band for ITS operations and required the ITS service to transition from DSRC-based technology to C-V2X-based technology. The Order expands on that transition by addressing the transition timeline, communications prioritization, channel bandwidth, communication zones, C-V2X standards, and additional matters.

Transition Timeline: The Order establishes a two-year sunset for DSRC operations in the 5.9 GHz band, which will commence on the date that the Order is published in the Federal Register. Additionally, new licenses issued after the effective date of the final rules will only authorize C-V2X operations and not DSRC operations.

Communications Prioritization: The Commission concluded that preserving the three-tiered communications prioritization hierarchy currently in place under the DSRC rules will serve its goal of enhancing transportation and vehicular safety. Accordingly, safety-of-life messages will continue to have highest priority, followed by public safety communications, and then non-priority communications that promote road safety and efficient road use.

Channel Bandwidth: The Commission will continue to provide three 10-megahertz channel bandwidths, which users will be allowed to combine into contiguous 20- or 30-megahertz channels to accommodate various ITS applications and services.

Communications Zones: The new C-V2X rules will not include "communications zones," which the current rules require. Communications zones are the service areas associated with an individual fixed roadside service unit ("RSU") and must be as small as possible to maximize spectrum use. However, the Commission concluded that communications zones were not necessary for C-V2X operations and thus the new rules will not require their use.

C-V2X Standards: The Commission declined to incorporate by reference any specific C-V2X standard into its rules and instead encouraged industry to develop a consensus on standards issued by the 3^rd Generation Partnership Project, a group of telecommunications standard development organizations that has recently issued standards relevant to C-V2X technology. However, the Order stated that the Commission expects the industry to ensure that all equipment is interoperable and backwards compatible to ensure safety. The Commission expects manufacturers to comply with existing privacy and cybersecurity standards and best practices and to collaborate with the automotive industry to develop new guidance, standards, and best practices for privacy and cybersecurity.

Additional Matters: The Order includes specifications for various C-V2X technical requirements, including for power and antenna height limits for RSUs, power limits for C-V2X on-board units ("OBUs"), and out-of-band emissions limits for RSUs and OBUs. The Commission declined to allocate additional spectrum for ITS purposes and stated that it will not compensate current DSRC users for transition costs.

The Order will become effective sixty days after the date of publication in the Federal Register.