The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has delicensed the 77-81 gigahertz spectrum band for short-range vehicle radar systems, a key component of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) used in modern cars. The exemption comes with conditions such as radar systems must follow technical norms such as non-interference and non-protection, and the frequencies will remain shared. Several automakers already offer Level 2 ADAS features in India. Higher autonomy levels (Level 4 and Level 5), seen in markets like the US through Tesla’s systems, remain off the table for public-road use in India.
Automotive radar in this band enables features such as autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-change assist, and blind-spot detection, all of which strengthen road safety as adoption grows.
