1. WAVE Random MAC Address
Month Year
doc.: IEEE yy/xxxxr0
January 2005
WAVE Random MAC Address
Date:
Authors:
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Lee Armstrong, Armstrong Consulting, Inc.
John Doe, Some Company

2. Month Year
doc.: IEEE yy/xxxxr0
January 2005
Abstract
Questions raised since the November meeting challenged the ability of WAVE OBUs to periodically change their MAC address.
This has been investigated and found to be in compliance with existing standard as well as address registration processes.
The 11p draft will retain reference to such address changes, leaving the determination of when and how to implement the responsibility of IEEE P1609 (upper layers standard)
Lee Armstrong, Armstrong Consulting, Inc.
John Doe, Some Company

3. January 2005
Original Proposal
WAVE OBUs would change their MAC addresses periodically in order to ensure anonymity
Original plan was for changing address with every vehicle start
Use random number generator, but block off registered values
Recent request to change address more frequently, such as at every RSU
Only applies within the ITS band
RSUs would not do this, would act more like a conventional Access Point
Lee Armstrong, Armstrong Consulting, Inc.

4. January 2005
Anonymity concerns
A fixed MAC address would allow any given vehicle to be tracked wherever it goes
Lack of privacy
Could not prevent private uses
Automatic speed tickets, other questionable rights violations
“Big Brother” perceptions could never be alleviated
Lack of anonymity would discourage the public from using these devices
Vehicle manufacturers would no longer support program
Drivers would disable devices
Loss of public safety benefits
Lee Armstrong, Armstrong Consulting, Inc.

5. Concerns expressed since November
January 2005
Concerns expressed since November
All addresses must be registered with RAC
Not true if the address is not global
The OBU addresses would not be global, the RSU will normally be, but not the OBU
All addresses must be unique globally (thus leading to the need for registration)
Only for devices that exist within the global environment, not true of OBUs
Lee Armstrong, Armstrong Consulting, Inc.

6. January 2005
Current plan
OBU MAC address will be changed periodically under the direction of the WAVE Management Entity defined in IEEE P1609.3
OBU MAC addresses will be locally and not globally administered
Lee Armstrong, Armstrong Consulting, Inc.

7. January 2005
References
IEEE , page 360
"A locally-administered MAC address may be used in lieu of the unique, globally-administered MAC address assigned to the station. However, the value of dot11MacAddress may not change during MAC operation."
Lee Armstrong, Armstrong Consulting, Inc.