The Federal Communication Commission and another federal regulatory agency, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, are in a row about Wi-Fi, MSN Autos reports.
As more and more wireless-enabled consumer electronics are coming into the market, the FCC wants to open a large portion a new radio frequency that would expand the channels on which traditional Wi-Fi operates, the report stated.
But as American roads get more crowded and wireless technology in cars becomes more commonplace, the NHTSA wants to ensure cars will be able to get online as well.
The two regulatory agencies are in a disagreement over who will get to use how much of the available wireless spectrum, according to MSN.
The issues stems from the potential interference from consumer devices on the new Wi-Fi spectrum and vehicles using airwaves to take advantage of vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) technology.
The new Wi-Fi range makes use of airwaves adjacent on the spectrum to the airwaves used by V2V technology and could possibly interfere with one another, causing problems, the report states.
In January the FCC announced plans to clear 195 MHz of spectra in the 5 GHz band for Wi-Fi use, the report stated. But the newly cleared space borders the 5.9 GHz band which the NHTSA has set aside for future V2V communication networks with will allow cars to wirelessly "talk" to one another to avoid accidents, the MSN reported.
Several automakers have backed a motion to stop the new wireless range from infringing on the V2V spectrum. In a letter to the FCC by the Intelligent Transportation Society of America, auto industry big weights including Mercedes-Benz, Chrysler, Hyundai and the AAA made it known that they are worried the new Wi-Fi band could interfere with wireless communication between cars, the report stated.
"We support efforts to identify spectrum that may be utilized to expand Wi-Fi applications," the ITSA said in a statement, according to the MSN article. "But with over 30,000 deaths on our nation's roads every year, we also believe it is critical that efforts to open up additional spectrum do not come at the expense of revolutionary life-saving technologies."
The auto industry is asking that the FCC will guarantee protections are in place so that interference between the V2V and Wi-Fi spectrums will not occur, the article stated.
Though V2V communication technology is not yet widespread, its champions fear sharing the spectrum will not help move the technology forward, according to MSN.
"The last thing the V2V initiative needs is a cloud being cast from potential interference from unlicensed use of the same spectrum," said Roger Lanctot, an automotive electronics analyst with Strategy Analytics, according to MSN Autos.
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