DSRC

DSRC, or Dedicated Short-Range Communications, is a set of wireless technologies and standards designed for short-range, low-latency exchange of information between vehicles and between vehicles and roadside infrastructure for intelligent transportation systems (ITS). Originating from IEEE 802.11p and the related IEEE 1609 family, DSRC supports vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communications, often referred to collectively as V2X.

The core spectrum is allocated for ITS in the 5.9 GHz band in many regions. DSRC uses a variant of IEEE 802.11p known as WAVE (Wireless Access in Vehicular Environments) and supports time-critical safety messages, such as basic safety messages. Communication involves on-board units (OBUs) in vehicles and roadside units (RSUs) at fixed infrastructure. Standards for message content and security include SAE J2735 for message sets, SAE J2945 for safety and measurement interfaces, and IEEE 1609.2 for secure, privacy-preserving authentication and transmission.

Applications span vehicle-to-vehicle collision avoidance, intersection safety, hazard warnings, cooperative adaptive cruise control, traffic signal timing, and tolling or parking assistance. DSRC aims to reduce crashes and improve traffic efficiency through rapid exchange of position, speed, heading, and other data, enabling real-time safety and efficiency services.

Regulatory and deployment status varies by region. In North America, spectrum allocation and automotive uptake have advanced DSRC deployment, while Europe uses ITS-G5, based on 802.11p with European standards. A competing approach, cellular V2X (C-V2X), based on 3GPP cellular technology, has been deployed in some markets and is often discussed alongside DSRC. Interoperability and future integration with 5G and broader connected-vehicle ecosystems are ongoing considerations.