Vehicular Networks Dynamic Grouping and Re-orchestration Scenarios †

Abstract

† This article is an extended version of our paper published in the 27th Asia Pacific Conference on Communications, APCC 2022, Jeju Island, Republic of Korea, 19–21 October 2022.

The topological structure in vehicular communication networks presents challenges for sustaining network connectivity on the road. Highway dynamics, for example, encourage the need for an adaptive and flexible structure to handle the rapid events of vehicles joining and leaving the road. Such demand aligns with the advancement made in software-defined networks and related dynamic network re-orchestration. This paper discusses the development of a virtual model that represents the operation of an autonomous vehicular network. It also investigates the ability to re-orchestrate the topology through software definition while running the various operational phases. Network self-formation, network expansion, retraction via vehicular members joining and leaving, and network self-healing when a topological rupture occurs as a result of a key member leaving the network are the key grouping phases. The communication approach is analyzed based on the status of network members and their ability to assume the various network roles. The concept is tested using both a Contiki–Cooja network simulator and a MATLAB analytical modeling tool to reflect the operation and performance of the grouping approach under various road scenarios. The outcome of the analysis reflects the ability of the group to be formulated within a measured latency considering the various network parameters such as communication message rate. The approach offers tools for managing the dynamic connectivity of vehicular groups and may also be extended to assume the function of an on-road network digital twin during the lifetime of a given group.