Why The Future Of Transportation Needs A National Investment In Broadband Infrastructure

While many people think of broadband infrastructure in terms of how well their access to the internet is in a particular location, “broadband” generally refers to high-capacity transmission technologies used to transmit diverse forms of communication, including data, voice, and video, across long distances and at high speeds. The ability of various parties and technology to communicate has always impacted transportation. Better broadband capabilities affect highway operations, including through applications centrally managing signal systems, variable speed limits, and cameras that improve incident response and timing, among others.

Just a few years ago, there was a perception that once driverless cars become ubiquitous, a “driverless utopia” will happen almost automatically, resulting in an immediate reduction in accident-related deaths, less need for city center-adjacent parking garages, more relaxed commutes, and the maximum use of vehicles that normally sit idle 95% of the day. But, a driverless car that’s not connected to the road it drives on and can’t communicate with other vehicles on the road is simply a car without a driver with nominal (if any) impact on making roads safer or commuting more predictable and manageable. A seismic shift in transportation akin to a driverless utopia can only occur when driverless cars are connected.