WASHINGTON — The Federal Communications Commission voted 5-0 on Wednesday to split a key spectrum block set aside for auto safety to accommodate the growing number of wireless devices, even as the U.S. Transportation Secretary warned it could result in “thousands more deaths” in future traffic accidents.
The FCC, over the objections of automakers and some U.S. agencies, finalizes a plan announced last year to divide a block of the 5.9 GHz spectrum band that was reserved in 1999 to develop technology to allow vehicles to talk to each other, but has so far gone largely unused.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
