ITS World Congress - Satellite Connectivity Comes to Infrastructure

If you follow the intelligent transportation systems (ITS) industry closely you know, by now, that one company to watch is Applied Information based in Alpharetta, Georgia. Innovation is practically bursting out of its modest HQ facility were connectivity technologies of all sorts are being applied to the twin challenge of accelerating traffic flows and protecting vulnerable road users.

The latest development from Applied Information is very much in keeping with its history of out-of-the-box thinking. Applied Information is bringing satellite connectivity to infrastructure.

The latest development, which has manifested with two intersection installations in Texas now equipped with Starlink connectivity. To emphasize the point, AI has outfitted one of its Tesla company cars with an aftermarket Starlink antenna in order to demonstrate signal phase and timing transmissions transmitted via satellite.

AI installed the Starlink connectivity at the Texas intersections to address connectivity challenges at the somewhat remote location. It's possible that transportation executives across the country have equipment installed where either fiber or cellular connectivity is simply not available. In those circumstances, satellite connectivity works just fine.

AI's introduction of satellite-infrastructure connectivity is in keeping with the company's novel technological trajectory. While the wider ITS industry was pushing DSRC-based V2X communications, AI was investigating and experimenting with C-V2X networked V2X.

That work on C-V2X led to the creation of the TravelSafely app which allows for two-way communications between drivers and pedestrians and roadside infrastructure in support of safety applications. The Glance data exchange, also a unique AI innovation, emerged from the TravelSafely activity - a strategy now replicated by international data exchange partner Monotch as well as Harman and its Ready Aware platform and Miovision. Seems like everyone is getting into the data exchange game.

Starlink won't be the only satellite service provider to get into the connected infrastructure game, but Applied Information has opened a door to an entirely new opportunity for satellite connectivity. It's just the latest chapter in a steady stream of ITS innovations.