Interoperable Connectivity/Spectrum

A key component of the Program focuses on Interoperable Connectivity Wireless Communications research for secure, interoperable, and connected ITS, which includes various forms of Wi-Fi, Long-Term Evolution Vehicle-to-Everything (LTE-V2X), new forms of satellite communications, or the upcoming 5G New Radio (NR) or 5G NR Unlicensed (5G NRU), as well as future “G’s”; another recent effort includes a focus on transportation digital infrastructure. As interoperable connectivity applications exchange information among vehicles, roadway infrastructure, traffic management centers, and wireless mobile devices, a security system is needed to ensure that users can trust the validity of information received from other system users—indistinct users that they have never met and do not know personally. Research and implementation support for a Security Credential Management System (SCMS) is a critical component of this environment. An SCMS provides the security infrastructure to issue and manage the security certificates that form the basis of trust for V2X communication. The certificates prove the device is a trusted actor in the system while also maintaining privacy. Misbehavior detection and reporting allow the system to identify bad actors and revoke message privileges, when necessary.