NAVI: Neighbor-Aware Virtual Infrastructure for Information Collection and Dissemination in Vehicular Networks

Vehicular Networks enable a vast number of innovative applications, which rely on the efficient exchange of information between vehicles. However, efficient and reliable data dissemination is a particularly challenging task in the context of vehicular networks due to the underlying properties of these networks, limited availability of network infrastructure and variable penetration rates for distinct communication technologies. This paper presents a novel system and mechanism for information collection and dissemination based on virtual infrastructure selection in combination with multiple communication technologies. The system has been evaluated using a simulation framework, involving network simulation in conjugation with realistic vehicular mobility traces. Simulation results show the feasibility of the proposed mechanism to achieve maximum message penetration in a geographical area with reduced overhead. The judicious vehicle selection also enables scalable data collection and leads to improved network utilization through the offload of traffic to the short-range communication network.