Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks
Salim Bitam, Abdelhamid Mellouk · 2014
This chapter presents an overview of vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs) with definition and its main characteristics which distinguish VANETs from the other wireless networks. It highlights VANET fundamental applications proposed to increase utilities of intelligent transportation systems (ITS). The chapter presents VANET architectures and mobility models such as random-based mobility model, prediction-based mobility model, group-based mobility model and time and spatial dependency mobility model, in addition to the most used vehicular network simulators applied to evaluated VANET performances. It outlines the main VANET challenges and issues, like data routing, VANET scalability, routing robustness and self-organization, and security. Two kinds of VANET nodes exchange data messages in multi-hop mode, namely mobile nodes (i.e. vehicles) and stationary nodes known as roadside units (RSUs) which are installed on roadsides. VANETs can be organized within three categories of architecture such as vehicular WLAN/cellular, pure ad hoc and hybrid architecture.