To find cost effective routes that are able to meet the fuel/time constraints using the Intelligent Transportation Systems in VANETS

Abstract

The use of real-time information in Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) in particular Vehicular Ad hoc Networks (VANETs) has the potential to improve traffic conditions and reduce travel delays by facilitating better utilization of available capacity. These systems exploit currently available and emerging computer, communication, and control technologies to monitor, manage, and control the

transportation system. They also provide various levels of traffic information and trip advisory service to system users, service providers, so that travellers or drivers can make timely and informed travel decisions. The success of ITS technology deployments is heavily dependent on the availability of timely and accurate estimates of prevailing and emerging traffic conditions. As such, there is a strong need for a “traffic prediction system”. The needed system is to utilize advanced traffic models to analyze data, especially real-time traffic data, from different sources to estimate and predict traffic conditions so that proactive strategies can be implemented to meet various traffic control, management, and operation objectives. Vehicular Ad hoc Networks are an envision of the Intelligent Transportation Systems. Vehicles communicate with each other via Inter-Vehicle Communication (IVC) as well as with roadside base stations via Roadside-to-Vehicle Communication (RVC). The optimal goal is that vehicular networks will contribute to safer and more efficient roads in the future by providing timely information to drivers and concerned authorities.

The aim of this research was to develop an embedded system that would utilize the real-time information found in Intelligent Transportation Systems through the use of VANETs. This system was simulated using the C++ language and a combinatorial optimization algorithm was used to find cost effective routes from source to destination that would be able to meet the fuel or time constraints. By using these system drivers and other users would be able to make informed decisions to choose the feasible route based on the fuel or time required around the path/road from its current position to destination. The proposed embedded system is simple and can easily be developed and adapted to run in any environment that uses VANETs.

This research provided the foundation of developing a future embedded system that can be used in Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks for real road traffic situations.