washington 50 automakers state transportation agencies group urge white house federal policymakers thursday open portion wireless spectrum reserve connect vehicles near future letter sign major auto trade group represent nearly entire auto industry include toyota motor corp ford motor co general motor co volkswagen ag vowg_p.de honda motor co. come week cable industry trade group tech company include qualcomm inc public interest group urge white house take quick action open spectrum wireless devices automakers company seek use 5.9 ghz unlicensed spectrum band wireless devices spar several years january u.s. transportation secretary anthony foxx send propose regulation white house would require new cars equip vehicle-to-vehicle technology could eventually prevent 80 percent crash alcohol factor proposal final approve white house open public comment technology involve cars repeatedly send wireless signal could help alert drivers oncoming vehicle may disregard traffic light detect threats hundreds yards away indicate whether vehicles example pass safely make leave turn one significant advance vehicle safety come existence urge stay course complete action administration undertake improve safety drivers passengers america roadways say letter sign auto auto part trade group well michigan california arizona state transportation departments national safety council national sheriffs association automakers say vehicle-to-vehicle technology could also help speed self-driving cars roads last week separate letter obama administration national cable telecommunications association group say president need act quickly connect device use continue skyrocket spectrum resources power devices perilously insufficient group urge speedy action must act find unlicensed spectrum write michael calabrese director wireless policy new america open technology institute say auto industry ignore fact unused band enough spectrum deploy protect crash avoidance safety applications next generation wi-fi dave sullivan analyst autopacific say automakers lot stake make significant investments technology imperative spectrum encroach say 1999 federal communications commission allocate 75 megahertz spectrum 5.9 ghz band highway safety critics say technology progress much beyond test phase fcc chairman tom wheeler u.s. commerce secretary penny pritzker foxx agree january conduct test whether spectrum share wireless devices government officials say imperative ensure future automotive safety efficiency travel public test complete make decisions share spectrum automakers state urge white house reject plan open spectrum