National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Christopher Hart doesn’t “see it happening anytime real soon” that autonomous cars will get so good that human drivers -- and their susceptibility to human error -- get banned from the road, Hart told the Bloomberg-Western Digital Data Revolution conference on artificial intelligence Thursday in San Francisco. DOT soon may release its long-awaited autonomous-vehicle guidelines, Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said earlier at the event (see 1608250049).
National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Christopher Hart doesn’t “see it happening anytime real soon” that autonomous cars will get so good that human drivers -- and their susceptibility to human error -- get banned from the road, Hart told the Bloomberg-Western Digital Data Revolution conference on artificial intelligence Thursday in San Francisco. DOT soon may release its long-awaited autonomous-vehicle guidelines, Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said earlier at the event (see 1608250049).
Three automobile industry associations slammed a June Public Knowledge and New America Open Technology Institute emergency petition (see 1606280066) for an FCC stay on launch of dedicated short-range communication (DSRC) systems aimed at curbing traffic accidents. The public interest groups raised cybersecurity concerns and questioned whether automakers want to use the safety spectrum to make a profit (see 1608240046). CTIA and other wireless industry groups also opposed a stay. Comments were due Wednesday in RM-11771.
Three automobile industry associations slammed a June Public Knowledge and New America Open Technology Institute emergency petition (see 1606280066) for an FCC stay on launch of dedicated short-range communication (DSRC) systems aimed at curbing traffic accidents. The public interest groups raised cybersecurity concerns and questioned whether automakers want to use the safety spectrum to make a profit (see 1608240046). CTIA and other wireless industry groups also opposed a stay. Comments were due Wednesday in RM-11771.
Three automobile industry associations slammed a June Public Knowledge and New America Open Technology Institute emergency petition (see 1606280066) for an FCC stay on launch of dedicated short-range communication (DSRC) systems aimed at curbing traffic accidents. The public interest groups raised cybersecurity concerns and questioned whether automakers want to use the safety spectrum to make a profit (see 1608240046). CTIA and other wireless industry groups also opposed a stay. Comments were due Wednesday in RM-11771.
The FCC should act now to ensure automotive companies can’t commercialize the 5.9 GHz spectrum, set aside for dedicated short-range communication (DSRC) systems designed to curb traffic accidents, for uses that have nothing to do with public safety, public interest and consumer groups told the agency. It also should address cyber concerns, the groups said. Comments were due Wednesday on a June Public Knowledge and New America Open Technology Institute emergency petition (see 1606280066) for a stay of operations of DSRC.
The FCC should act now to ensure automotive companies can’t commercialize the 5.9 GHz spectrum, set aside for dedicated short-range communication (DSRC) systems designed to curb traffic accidents, for uses that have nothing to do with public safety, public interest and consumer groups told the agency. It also should address cyber concerns, the groups said. Comments were due Wednesday on a June Public Knowledge and New America Open Technology Institute emergency petition (see 1606280066) for a stay of operations of DSRC.
The FCC should act now to ensure automotive companies can’t commercialize the 5.9 GHz spectrum, set aside for dedicated short-range communication (DSRC) systems designed to curb traffic accidents, for uses that have nothing to do with public safety, public interest and consumer groups told the agency. It also should address cyber concerns, the groups said. Comments were due Wednesday on a June Public Knowledge and New America Open Technology Institute emergency petition (see 1606280066) for a stay of operations of DSRC.
FCC commissioners approved 5-0 an order making railroad police eligible to use various interoperability channels to communicate with public safety officers already using the frequencies (see 1509010044). The change had the support of both the railroads and public safety groups when the FCC sought comment last year (see 1511160026). The National Public Safety Telecommunications Council sought the rule change. “Promoting interoperability -- to ensure that emergency responders from different jurisdictions and disciplines can communicate with each other -- is a critical goal of the Commission’s public safety objectives,” said the order, Tuesday. The FCC is permitting railroad police to use VHF, UHF, 700 MHz narrowband and 800 MHz National Public Safety Planning Advisory Committee interoperability channels. The order had broad support, including from the Department of Transportation, the FCC said. “We agree with commenters that adoption of our proposal to give railroad police access to the interoperability channels is warranted,” the commission said. “Train derailments can result in significant passenger injuries and loss of life as well as property damage, and can require large, multi-jurisdictional responses.” The FCC said it expanded slightly the Federal Railroad Administration’s definition of railroad police officer to ensure the rules cover “Amtrak police, freight railroad police, commuter railroad police, passenger rail transit system police, and part-time railroad police officers.” But the FCC turned down a request by the American Petroleum Institute that the agency extend its railroad police proposal to oil and gas companies and other critical infrastructure industry entities: “API’s proposal is outside the scope of this proceeding, which is focused on railroad police eligibility to access the interoperability channels, and thus will not be further addressed here.”
FirstNet will have stability at the top as it nears a key development: selection of a group of companies that will help build the network. The Department of Commerce said Thursday that Sue Swenson, FirstNet chairwoman, was reappointed to the board and will continue as chair. Jeff Johnson also was reappointed and will continue as vice chairman. Meanwhile, FirstNet took care of additional business Thursday, awarding grants to public safety systems that will have to move from the spectrum FirstNet will use to build its network.