Watershed Moment Paves the Way for New Era of Intelligent Transportation in the U.S.

HARMAN International, a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics and leader in developing end-to-end connected vehicle solutions, was one of the select few companies recently approved by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to operate roadside and on-board cellular-vehicle-to-everything (C-V2X) technologies within the 5.9 GHz band in the United States. As a result, American road users, city planners, highway administrators and more can now experience the enhanced roadway safety and efficiency benefits delivered by these game-changing technologies. HARMAN's C-V2X solutions are among the most advanced in the industry, and will support building safer roads, relieving traffic congestion, and improving sustainability.

“Nearly 43,000 fatalities occurred due to vehicle traffic crashes in the United States last year,” said Ram Iyer, Senior Vice President of Connectivity at HARMAN. “The joint waiver approval could not have come soon enough, and together with Samsung, HARMAN brings a high degree of product maturity, readiness, and scale to address this tragic and preventable roadway epidemic.”

“The FCC’s decision marks a significant step forward, but we will continue to advocate for wide-scale deployment of C-V2X as industry stakeholders join forces to build a smarter, safer, and more sustainable transportation future,” said Tom Mooney, Head of Government Affairs at HARMAN. “Now the real work begins of ensuring these lifesaving technologies get on U.S. roadways as soon as possible. The good news is, we’re already engaged across the transportation ecosystem to make that happen.”

In its decision, the FCC notes that “permitting C-V2X technologies to deploy now, prior to adoption of final C-V2X rules, will serve the public interest by advancing vehicular safety and promoting interoperability.”

HARMAN and Samsung share a commitment to safety and protecting vulnerable road users through innovative products such as HARMAN Savari MECWAVE, an industry-first edge computing platform that delivers an out-of-the box, end-to-end solution for virtualized infrastructure, enabling smarter, more connected experiences for roadway users and operators. By functioning on the edge with ultra-low latency, MECWAVE accelerates the deployment of vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communications, including safety-critical applications like hazard alerts to protect vulnerable road users, along with high-throughput connectivity experiences like interactive applications and video streaming.

MECWAVE is complemented by two additional HARMAN Savari solutions, including:

• HARMAN Savari StreetWAVE roadside unit: A critical node for vehicular connectivity, leveraging wireless technologies such as 5G or CBRS for backhaul and C-V2X technologies to enable a communication framework between infrastructure and vehicles.
• HARMAN Savari MobiWAVE wireless vehicular on-board unit: Combines existing telematics control units with V2X services to reduce traffic-related emergencies through functionalities including ASD, “Here I Am” device and more.

With physical security and efficiency top of mind, HARMAN is delivering compelling mobility experiences at the leading edge of technology. Leveraged together or independently, MECWAVE, StreetWAVE and MobiWAVE are enabling holistic, turn-key mobility solutions that will have a tangible impact in improving the safety of drivers, passengers, and the world around them.

ABOUT HARMAN

HARMAN (harman.com) designs and engineers connected products and solutions for automakers, consumers, and enterprises worldwide, including connected car systems, audio and visual products, enterprise automation solutions; and services supporting the Internet of Things. With leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon®, Mark Levinson® and Revel®, HARMAN is admired by audiophiles, musicians and the entertainment venues where they perform around the world. More than 50 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and connected car systems. Our software services power billions of mobile devices and systems that are connected, integrated and secure across all platforms, from work and home to car and mobile. HARMAN has a workforce of approximately 30,000 people across the Americas, Europe, and Asia. In March 2017, HARMAN became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

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