Deployment May Occur over the Next Few Decades

		DOT and Various Stakeholders Are Developing and Testing V2I Technologies through Small Test Deployments

DOT, state and local transportation agencies, academic researchers, and  private sector stakeholders are engaged in a number of efforts to develop  and test V2I technologies and applications, as well as to develop the  technology and systems that enable V2I applications. State and local transportation agencies, which will  ultimately be deploying V2I technologies on their roads, have also  pursued efforts to test V2I technologies in real-world settings. The Connected Vehicle Pilot Deployment Program: Over the next  5 years, DOT plans to provide up to $100 million in funding for a  number of pilot projects that are to design and deploy connected  vehicle environments (comprised of various V2I and V2V technologies  and applications) to address specific local needs related to safety,  mobility, and the environment. DOT and Stakeholders Are Collaborating and Developing V2I Guidance for State and Local Agencies

DOT and other stakeholders have worked to provide guidance to help  state and local agencies pursue V2I deployments, since it will be up to  state and local transportation agencies to voluntarily deploy V2I  technologies. A Variety of Challenges, Including Potential Spectrum Sharing, May Affect the Deployment of V2I

According to experts and industry stakeholders we interviewed, there are  a variety of challenges that may affect the deployment of V2I technologies  including: (1) ensuring that possible sharing with other wireless users of  the radiofrequency spectrum used by V2I communications will not  adversely affect V2I technologies’ performance; (2) addressing states’  lack of resources to deploy and maintain V2I technologies; (3) developing  technical standards to ensure interoperability between devices and  infrastructure; (4) developing and managing a data security system and  addressing public perceptions related to privacy; (5) ensuring that drivers  respond appropriately to V2I warnings; and (6) addressing the  uncertainties related to potential liability issues posed by V2I. DOT is  collaborating with the automotive industry and state transportation  officials, among others, to identify potential solutions to these challenges. Extent of Benefits and Costs Are Likely to Remain Unclear until Further Deployment of V2I Technology

		Experts Identified Potential Safety, Mobility, Operational, and Environmental Benefits to V2I Technologies, but Extent of Benefits Is Not Yet Clear

DOT officials, stakeholders representing state officials and private sector  entities, and experts we interviewed stated that the deployment of V2I  technologies and applications is expected to result in a variety of benefits  to users. This result, in turn, could provide safety or other benefits to  drivers. However, DOT has commissioned or  conducted some studies to estimate potential V2I benefits, particularly  with respect to safety and the environment. According to AASHTO, there are two primary, non-recurring cost  categories associated with V2I deployments:  Infrastructure deployment costs include the costs for planning,  acquiring, and installing the V2I roadside equipment. Second, V2I will also require recurring costs—the costs required to  operate and maintain the infrastructure. Estimating equipment costs is  difficult at this time because the technology is still developing,  according to NCHRP. We incorporated these comments as  appropriate. FCC did not provide comments. We will send copies of this report to the Secretary of  Transportation, the Chairman of the Federal Communications  Commission, and the Administrator of the National Telecommunications  and Information Administration and appropriate congressional  committees. We primarily selected stakeholders based on  recommendations from DOT and industry associations. Appendix II: Expert Ratings of Potential Challenges Facing Deployment of Vehicle- to-Infrastructure Technologies

As part of our review, we conducted 21 structured interviews with  individuals identified by the National Academy of Sciences and based on  other factors discussed in our scope and methodology to be experts on  vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) technologies (see table 2 in app.
Why GAO Did This Study

Over the past two decades, automobile crash-related fatality and injury rates have declined over 34 and 40 percent respectively, due in part to improvements in automobile safety. To further improve traffic safety and provide other transportation benefits, DOT is promoting the development of V2I technologies. Among other things, V2I technologies would allow roadside devices and vehicles to communicate and alert drivers of potential safety issues, such as if they are about to run a red light. GAO was asked to review V2I deployment.
This report addresses: (1) the status of V2I technologies; (2) challenges that could affect the deployment of V2I technologies, and DOT efforts to address these challenges; and (3) what is known about the potential benefits and costs of V2I technologies.
GAO reviewed documentation on V2I from DOT, automobile manufacturers, industry associations, and state and local agencies. In addition, GAO interviewed DOT, Federal Communication Commission (FCC), and National Telecommunications Information Administration (NTIA) officials. GAO also conducted structured interviews with 21 experts from a variety of subject areas related to V2I. The experts were chosen based on recommendations from the National Academy of Sciences and other factors.
DOT, NTIA, and the FCC reviewed a draft of this report. DOT and NTIA provided technical comments, which were incorporated as appropriate. FCC did not provide comments.

What GAO Found

Vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) technologies allow roadside devices to communicate with vehicles and warn drivers of safety issues; however, these technologies are still developing. According to the Department of Transportation (DOT), extensive deployment may occur over the next few decades. DOT, state, and local-transportation agencies; researchers; and private-sector stakeholders are developing and testing V2I technologies through test beds and pilot deployments. Over the next 5 years, DOT plans to provide up to $100 million through its Connected Vehicle pilot program for projects that will deploy V2I technologies in real-world settings. DOT and other stakeholders have also provided guidance to help state and local agencies pursue V2I deployments, since it will be up to these agencies to voluntarily deploy V2I technologies.
According to experts and industry stakeholders GAO interviewed, there are a variety of challenges that may affect the deployment of V2I technologies including: (1) ensuring that possible sharing with other wireless users of the radio-frequency spectrum used by V2I communications will not adversely affect V2I technologies' performance; (2) addressing states and local agencies' lack of resources to deploy and maintain V2I technologies; (3) developing technical standards to ensure interoperability; (4) developing and managing data security and addressing public perceptions related to privacy; (5) ensuring that drivers respond appropriately to V2I warnings; and (6) addressing the uncertainties related to potential liability issues posed by V2I. DOT is collaborating with the automotive industry and state transportation officials, among others, to identify potential solutions to these challenges.
The full extent of V2I technologies' benefits and costs is unclear because test deployments have been limited thus far; however, DOT has supported initial research into the potential benefits and costs. Experts GAO spoke to and research GAO reviewed indicate that V2I technologies could provide safety, mobility, environmental, and operational benefits, for example by: (1) alerting drivers to potential dangers, (2) allowing agencies to monitor and address congestion, and (3) providing driving and route advice. V2I costs will include the initial non-recurring costs to deploy the infrastructure and the recurring costs to operate and maintain the infrastructure. While some organizations have estimated the potential average costs for V2I deployments, actual costs will depend on a variety of factors, including where the technology is installed, and how much additional infrastructure is needed to support the V2I equipment.