Traffic optimization through information dissemination

It is a known fact today that VANETs are going to play an increasingly important role in vehicular communication in the future. The impact of these networks especially to solve the problem of traffic optimization and control is significant. Traffic Optimization through Information Dissemination (TOID) is an algorithm based on a mathematical model in which vehicles moving on the road can exchange information among themselves to report the average velocity and density of the roads within a certain region such that the driver has a fair idea of the traffic conditions in the region and which road to take depending upon his discretion. The algorithm ensures that the information reaches the network in a timely manner and the overheads are a minimum. The overheads are further reduced by optimizing the input parameters related to the average velocity and density in the network. The algorithm also reports the estimated density and estimated velocity in the network with a fair degree of accuracy. The effectiveness of the algorithm has been substantiated through extensive simulations using QualNet. The algorithm is ideal for traffic problems in developing countries as it works for vehicular ad hoc networks that are completely infrastructure-less.