Excitement around 5G is eclipsing the prospects for a competing technology that General Motors Co. and Toyota Motor Corp. are backing, potentially giving rivals a leg-up in the race to debut vehicles with state-of-the-art internet connectivity.
The U.S. government has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in Wi-Fi-based technology known as DSRC, or dedicated short-range communication, that allows cars to link to “smart” traffic lights designed to smooth congestion and provide warnings about accidents or poor weather conditions...