National Alert: Comment on DOT C-V2X standards for Connected Car Technology–Deadline Feb 25, 2019

[Shelia at NMA]

Dear NMA Members,

Currently, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or NHTSA has an open docket that would mandate two-way connected communications in every new car sometime in the future.

The wireless industry is pushing for a 5G technology standard for vehicles called C-V2X. The C-V2X standard as outlined in the docket refers to collectively the connected car technologies of V2V (vehicle-to-vehicle communications), V2I (vehicle-to-infrastructure communications) and V2P (vehicle-to-pedestrian communications).

The current docket asks for comments on the C-V2X standard: https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=DOT-OST-2018-0210-0021

The Deadline for Comments on this docket is February 25, 2019.

This is the second docket for comments that has been opened on connected car communications due to the changing technology landscape.

In April 2017, the first round of comments were due which can be viewed here: https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=NHTSA-2016-0126

The first docket focused on DSRC (or dedicated short-range communication) which is what the federal government had originally wanted to use until objections were posted by the wireless industry.

As the New York Times wrote in September 2018, this is really The Auto Industry’s VHS-or-Betamax Moment.

Please consider submitting a short comment.

Feel free to comment on the C-V2X technology or something even simpler such as the NMA following talking points:

• The tremendous cost to implement V2X technology and necessary infrastructure should be borne by the providers who will profit from the system, not the car owners or taxpayers.
• The only acceptable connected communications in cars is one that can be easily turned off or removed by the car’s owner.
• Additional connected communications technology must be as unobtrusive and transparent to the vehicle operator as possible. There are already too many distractions for drivers without adding another, more complex layer of technology that takes attention away from the road.

Please make your voice known on this important issue.

Again, go to this link and follow the prompts to comment: https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=DOT-OST-2018-0210

Deadline: February 25, 2019

Thank you for your ongoing support of motorists’ rights!

[Author]

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