D2D for Intelligent Transportation Systems: A Feasibility Study

TLDR

Intelligent transportation systems rely on reliable vehicular communications, which require joint V2V and V2I coordination that creates a dynamic spectrum management problem, and device‑to‑device communication—a solution adopted in cellular networks—has not yet been thoroughly explored for ITS. The study evaluates the feasibility of device‑to‑device communications for ITS and proposes remedies to make the technology practical and beneficial. The authors perform a feasibility analysis by examining D2D features within the context of vehicular network characteristics.

Abstract

Intelligent transportation systems (ITS) are becoming a crucial component of our society, whereas reliable and efficient vehicular communications consist of a key enabler of a well-functioning ITS. To meet a wide variety of ITS application needs, vehicular-to-vehicular and vehicular-to-infrastructure communications have to be jointly considered, configured, and optimized. The effective and efficient coexistence and cooperation of the two give rise to a dynamic spectrum management problem. One recently emerged and rapidly adopted solution of a similar problem in cellular networks is the so-termed device-to-device (D2D) communications. Its potential in the vehicular scenarios with unique challenges, however, has not been thoroughly investigated to date. In this paper, we for the first time carry out a feasibility study of D2D for ITS based on both the features of D2D and the nature of vehicular networks. In addition to demonstrating the promising potential of this technology, we will also propose novel remedies necessary to make D2D technology practical as well as beneficial for ITS.