Error rate performance analysis of cooperative SCR in VANETs over generalized fading channels

Cooperative communication techniques are used in vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs) to enhance system performance through distributed spatial diversity. In this paper, the average error rate performance of a VANET Cooperative Selection-Combining Receiver (CO-SCR) is analyzed over generalized statistically measured fading channels. Source-Destination and Source-Relay-Destination links are assumed to be independent but not necessary identically distributed. The Gaussian finite mixture is utilized to mathematically formulate an approximation for the probability density function (PDF) of the received signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) at the output of CO-SCR at the destination vehicle. Then, the PDF of the SNR (SNR-PDF) expression is utilized to derive a closed-form expression for the approximated average error rate using different coherent modulation techniques. Monte-carlo simulation results are presented to validate the analysis.