Hybrid vehicular communications based on V2V-V2I protocol switching

In this paper, a hybrid communication paradigm for vehicular networking is presented in which connectivity is provided by both existing network infrastructure (e.g., wireless network access points) through a vehicle-to-infrastructure protocol and traditional vehicle-to-vehicle networking. Preexisting infrastructure can provide seamless connectivity, especially when vehicles are sparse or traveling in disconnected neighborhoods, while vehicular communications are available for dense traffic scenarios. In this vision, we depict a novel heterogeneous vehicular network scenario, in which overlapping wireless networks partially cover the vehicular grid. Vehicle-to-X (V2X) is based on a protocol switching decision, which is achieved in a distributed fashion by each vehicle based on a cost function using path alternatives. An analytical model for protocol switching in V2X is described. Moreover, we analyze how messages are forwarded by vehicles communicating via V2X. We characterize the maximum and minimum bounds of information propagation and compare performance with traditional message propagation based on opportunistic networking. ∗In Int. J. Vehicle Information and Communication Systems, Vol. 2, Nos. 3/4, pp.213–231. This work is supported in part by the NSF under cooperative agreement EEC-0812056. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.