VANETS without Limitations: An Optimal Distributed Algorithm for Multi-Hop Communications

We present a distributed algorithm to fast multi-hop message propagation for ad hoc vehicular networks (VANET). Our protocol obtains optimal performances in challenging scenarios which are likely in real situations, but that have been not extensively studied in the literature as they are complex to be tackled. In particular, the Farther Relay and Oracle for VANET (FROV) deals with asymmetric communications and varying transmission ranges. Even in this case, FROV broadcast any application message with the minimal number of hops. Moreover, FROV is both scalable with respect to the number of participating vehicles, and tolerant to faults and changes of membership of the platoon, vehicles that leave or join it. At the current state of development, our protocol is optimal in the case of unidimensional roads and we are studying its extension to a web of urban roads. This paper presents the preliminary results of simulations carried out to verify the main characteristics of FROV.