Verizon is launching its first commercial V2X platform
Volkswagen could possibly incorporate it in next year's models
But there are many bumps in the road to nationwide V2X
Verizon Business is launching its first commercial vehicle-to-everything (V2X) platform, signing on Volkswagen, the Arizona Commerce Authority, the Delaware Department of Transportation and Rutgers University as its first customers.
This is Verizon's latest move into V2X. The MNO started testing of V2X in 2021, with Honda/Mcity, Nissan/Contra Costa County and Seattle/Denver.
AT&T started working with Ford in 2023, as well as Delphi and Qualcomm to potentially deploy V2X in future Fords. T-Mobile is working with the City of Bellevue on V2X traffic applications.
Verizon’s commercial platform is getting on the road quickly. Scott Nash, senior director of vehicle and autonomous solutions at the carrier says that he expects Volkswagen will incorporate its V2X platform in “next year’s models.”
“Volkswagen is looking at it for both pedestrian awareness as well as payment applications for tolling,” Nash said. Arizona is examining pedestrian detection and work zone notifications, he added. And Delaware is working on water on road warnings and other alerts, he said.
V2X nationwide by 2036?
The U.S. Department of Transportation, under the Biden administration, announced a plan to deploy VX2 nationwide by 2036 in August 2024. This means that the highways of the near future could be dotted with 5.9 GHz radio transceivers that communicate with cellular radios inside your car and update vehicles as they're driving to prevent accidents.
Roger Lanctot, founder of StrategiaNow Consulting, told Fierce in an email: “Verizon is very much behind the eight ball in trying to establish some traction in V2X...Europe is obsessed with vehicle alerting...[forewarning] drivers to hazards in the roadway and any dynamic roadway changes — speeds, weather, you name it.
“The only problem/challenge is that there is zero regulatory support for these initiatives in the U.S.,” Lanctot said.
He added, “The real notable reality is the lack of outreach and connection with HAAS Alert which is actually leading the way on V2X. HAAS has been attacking this from a regulatory standpoint, from a hardware/device standpoint, from an outreach to the first responder community.”
So there are quite a few bumps in the road on the path to V2X.