Connected car in the driveway as Trai set to frame spectrum rules

DoT) in December reserved 50MHz spectrum in the 5,875–5,925 megahertz (MHz) band for V2X and intelligent transport systems (ITS). Of this, 30MHz (5,875–5,905MHz) will be used for initial deployment, with the remainder earmarked for future ITS applications.DoT has approached Trai for its recommendations as MoRTH does not deal with the subject of spectrum.Vehicle connectivity is built around two components: on-board units (OBUs) installed in vehicles and roadside units (RSUs) deployed along infrastructure such as traffic signals.

OBUs allow vehicles to communicate with each other and nearby systems, while RSUs relay information from the road, enabling real-time alerts on hazards, traffic conditions and movement beyond a driver’s line of sight.“The government is currently considering having a regulatory mechanism including spectrum assignment and authorization for RSUs. Trai (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) has been consulted on the same.

For in-vehicle devices, the plan is to permit licence-exempt use,” one of the officials cited above said, adding that globally there is no individual licensing for such in-vehicle devices.If licence-exempt use for OBUs is permitted, carmakers would be able to install these devices without requiring a licence, while RSUs would operate under assigned spectrum to ensure reliable and interference-free communication.The proposal is that RSUs will be authorized by state governments or agencies designated by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), with spectrum acquired by these entities on an administrative (non-auction) basis, given the safety-critical nature of the system, the second official said.Both officials requested anonymity. Queries sent to Trai, DoT, and MoRTH remained