ITS licence brings connected cars one step closer

THE Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has announced that it has introduced new regulations to support intelligent transport systems (ITS), in the form of the Radiocommunications (ITS) Class Licence 2017.

Created following industry consultation, the licence will allow Australian road traffic authorities to roll out ITS that enable vehicle-to-vehicle, vehicle-to-person or vehicle-to-infrastructure communications, marking a crucial step in the eventual deployment of autonomous vehicles on the road.

The licence will allow vehicles and roadside infrastructure to share data using a 5.9GHz radio frequency band, which aligns with international developments.

Experts believe the increasing prevalence of connected and autonomous vehicles can lead to improved road safety, reduced traffic congestion, and positive environmental outcomes.

ITS encompasses a wide range of communications-based information technologies, both wireless and wired, that can be integrated into transport infrastructure and vehicles to transfer and share information.

Cooperative ITS technologies use wireless communications to transfer data over short distances between vehicles and roadside infrastructure, and can be used for a range of applications including monitoring and managing traffic flow, relieving traffic congestion, providing alternative routes to travellers and reducing the environmental impact of transport.

ACMA active chair James Cameron said the licence would keep Australia on pace with other countries to be compatible with connected car technology.

“ITS are expected to make roads smarter, safer and cleaner through the use of communications technologies,’ he said.

“The new Class Licence will facilitate the rollout of the latest transportation communications technology, putting Australia on par with other nations adopting ITS.”

The announcement follows the establishment of autonomous vehicle trial guidelines by the National Transport Commission in May that allows car-makers to conduct autonomous vehicle testing in Australia.