RELATIONSHIPS AMONG IVHS SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE, RADIO-FREQUENCY SPECTRUM REQUIREMENTS AND COMMUNICATION SYSTEM DESIGN

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RELATIONSHIPS AMONG IVHS SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE, RADIO-FREQUENCY SPECTRUM REQUIREMENTS AND COMMUNICATION SYSTEM DESIGN

Chadwick, Jim

Much attention has been separately focused on an Intelligent Vehicle Highway System (IVHS) system architecture, on radio-frequency (RF) spectrum requirements and on communication system designs. This paper seeks to analyze the dependent relationships among these three topics, with an aim toward demonstrating the profound affect that they have on overall IVHS implementation strategies. The interconnected nature of these three technical areas is highlighted by the fact that the system architecture, being developed by competing teams in a two-phased program, will not be finalized for more than two years. At the same time, an unprecedented level of change in the way the radio spectrum is allocated and managed has created opportunities for the IVHS program to obtain frequencies for its radio-frequency (RF) subsystems, if it can act quickly to define requirements and take advantage of this unique situation. Finally, commercial activities in many IVHS-related areas are pressing ahead with plans to implement RF systems in the near term, unable to await the outcome of more protracted deliberations about policy. As this author has stated before in many forums, experience with generously funded programs has shown that they must begin to produce results that are perceived by the public and the Congress to be worthwhile, within about five years of their inception. This means that regardless of the long-term approach taken, an implementable near-term strategy is essential to the success of IVHS in the United States. Ways must be found to accelerate the “process” by which IVHS is defined, developed and fielded.