RFID-Based Vehicle Positioning and Its Applications in Connected Vehicles

This paper proposed an RFID-based vehicle positioning approach to facilitate connected vehicles applications. When a vehicle passes over an RFID tag, the vehicle position is given by the accurate position stored in the tag. At locations without RFID coverage, the vehicle position is estimated from the most recent tag location using a kinematics integration algorithm till updates from the next tag. The accuracy of RFID positioning is verified empirically in two independent ways with one using radar and the other a photoelectric switch. The former is designed to verify whether the dynamic position obtained from RFID tags matches the position measured by radar that is regarded as accurate. The latter aims to verify whether the position estimated from the kinematics integration matches the position obtained from RFID tags. Both means supports the accuracy of RFID-based positioning. As a supplement to GPS which suffers from issues such as inaccuracy and loss of signal, RFID positioning is promising in facilitating connected vehicles applications. Two conceptual applications are provided here with one in vehicle operational control and the other in Level IV intersection control

Localization of Vehicles Using Range Measurements

Localization is an important required task for enabling vehicle autonomy. It entails the determination of the position of center of mass and orientation of a vehicle from the available measurements. In this paper, we focus on localization by using range measurements available to a vehicle from the communication of its multiple on-board receivers with roadside beacons (acoustic beacons in the case of underwater vehicles). The model proposed for measurements assumes that the true distance between a receiver and a beacon is at most equal to a predetermined function of the range measurement. The proposed procedure for localization is as follows: Based on the range measurements specific to a receiver from the beacons, a convex optimization problem is proposed to estimate the location of the receiver. The estimate is essentially a center of the set of possible locations of the receiver. In the second step, the location estimates of the vehicle are corrected using rigid body motion constraints and the orientation of the rigid body is thus determined. Numerical examples provided at the end corroborate the procedures developed in this paper

PAVEMENT MANAGEMENT ANALYSIS USING RONET: CASE OF THE FREE STATE PROVINCE

Published ThesisCurrently, more than 40% of roads in the Free State are in very poor condition as a result of underfunding, lack of technical capacity, lack of maintenance, increased vehicle tyre pressure, increased traffic volumes, and more. Moreover, it was discovered that local municipalities do not have a tool to strategize their maintenance expenditure. This research study was undertaken in an attempt to address this challenge, and with the intention that RONET be introduced to the Free State road network at some stage. This would be done in an effort to improve the conditions of this road network by addressing maintenance and rehabilitation backlogs. The study was limited to roads in the Free State province as the data was available to the researcher. This research study presents the application of the World Bank’s model, the Road Network Evaluation Tools (RONET), to perform a strategic network level analysis of the road network of the Free State province. As already mentioned, the condition of this network deteriorated considerably during the early 2000s due to under-financing of operations and maintenance, increased vehicle tyre pressure, increased traffic volumes, etc. In recent years, financing for the road sector has gradually increased, focusing on the dangerous and highly trafficked sections of the road network. However, the overall budget for the road sector remains inadequate to maintain the entire road network in a stable condition (Free State Department of Roads, 2002). The primary goals of RONET are to design and obtain an optimum maintenance and rehabilitation strategy and related budget, estimate the impact of different funding levels on the future quality and estimate the economic consequences of budget constraints. The application of the RONET model will lead to an optimal maintenance and rehabilitation strategy with a good balance between rehabilitation, periodic and recurrent maintenance. The implementation of an optimal maintenance and rehabilitation strategy would cause major improvement compared to the current condition of the network. Implementation of higher than optimal maintenance and rehabilitation strategies would lead to higher costs and subsequently lower net benefits, while implementation of lower than optimal maintenance and rehabilitation standards would lead to considerably worse network conditions for slightly lower agency costs. In other words, even minor budget constraints would result in considerably higher total road transport costs, impacting on the province’s economy. The undertaking of appropriate road maintenance of even a small road network is difficult without some form of road maintenance management plan, hence the study to investigate RONET in an attempt to enable road authorities to formulate a feasible business plan to curb the maintenance and rehabilitation backlog. Decision makers can use the Road Network Evaluation Tools model to appreciate the current state of the network, determine its relevant importance to the economy and compute a set of monitoring indicators to assess the performance of the road network. RONET assesses the performance of the road network, over time, under different road maintenance standards. It determines, for instance, the minimum cost of sustaining the network in its current condition and estimates the savings or the costs to the economy for maintaining the network at different levels of service. RONET further determines the allocation of expenditure among routine maintenance, periodic maintenance and rehabilitation road works. Moreover, it determines the optimal maintenance standard for each road class (highest Net Present Value) and compares it with the current (budget constraints) and other maintenance standards. Lastly, it determines the “funding gap”, which is defined as the difference between current maintenance spending and required maintenance spending (to maintain the network at a given level of service), and the effect of under-spending on increased transport costs. The new Road User Revenues module estimates the level of road user charges required (e.g. fuel levy.) The application of RONET will lead to an optimal Maintenance and Rehabilitation (M & R) strategy with a good balance between rehabilitation, periodic and routine maintenance. Implementation of the “Optimal” maintenance and rehabilitation strategy will result in an improvement to the current condition of the network. Implementing RONET will alleviate the backlog and bad conditions of the Free State road network, which was caused by the lack and/or shortage of experienced technical staff in government. RONET will also be used to assess the current characteristics of the road network and its future performance depending on different levels of network funding. The future performance of the road network under different funding levels will also be simulated

Antenna Selection And MIMO Capacity Estimation For Vehicular Communication Systems

Vehicular communication is one of the promising prospects of wireless communication capable of addressing the issues related to road safety, providing the framework for smart or intelligent cars. To provide a reliable wireless link for vehicular communication extensive channel modeling and measurements are required. In this thesis a novel cost-effective implementation of vehicular channel capacity measuring system using off-the-shelf devices is proposed. Then using the proposed system, various channel measurements are performed. The measurement results are utilized to examine multi-antenna systems for vehicular communication. The challenge in developing an efficient network between cars is to understand the nature of random channels that changes with the location of antenna, surroundings and obstacles between the transmitting and receiving vehicles. In addition to measurements, in this thesis, the channel behavior has been studied through simulation. Wireless InSite from Remcom was used as a simulation tool to study different vehicular channels in environments with different structures to see the impact of obstacles and surroundings in the performance of the vehicular network. In particular, the behavior of different antenna locations on channel capacity of 2Ã2 Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) systems is investigated. Channel capacities that are obtained from simulation and measurements provide the information about the changing nature of the channel and outline the essential considerations while choosing the antenna positions on the transmitting or receiving vehicles

Diseño e implementación del protocolo de notificación electrónica basado en redes VANET para E-SAVE

Each day we are more worried about road safety through compliance with traffic rules in order to prevent or reduce accidents on the roads. The awareness of road safety regulations involves, at least, a drastic reduction in the number of incidents on roads. The current enforcement method through traffic fines aims to educate drivers of vehicles who have committed an offense by paying them. However, the current enforcement system is not very efficient in terms of time to deliver the notification. The communication channel (regular mail) increases this time of notification. The use of electronic media (electronic availability or Address Electronic Road) neither allows an immediate knowledge of the sanction by the offender. In the case of not having updated driver details, offence notifications may not be received by the offender or be sent to a wrong recipient. This causes the driver doesn't know that he has committed an offence until long after committing it. When the driver receives the notification, the corrective offence factor has almost lost its meaning. This Final Project contributes to the creation of a communication protocol between the enforcement entity and the vehicle driver who commits an offence in a much more efficient and faster way. For this, it is necessary to use a device that is in the vehicle, called On-Board Unit (OBU), which can use the mobile communication technologies and DSRC technologies. On the other hand, it is needed a device service provider located in different parts of the road, called Road-Side Unit (RSU). The main objective of this Final Project corresponds to the analysis and implementation of the communication protocol for a communication network which we call Vehicular Ad-hoc Network (VANET). Using these devices connected via VANET networks is achieved immediate communication between them, which perform an exchange of vehicle information. In this way, the RSU can send notifications to the OBU of vehicles to inform drivers of the offense. Thanks to these notifications sent in real time, the driver would notice the irregularity in their driving and proceed to correct it. However, it is necessary to use an interface that makes an intermediary between the notification system and the user. For this, there are two types of interfaces, oriented according to the purpose of the device to which they are intended. In the case of the OBU, the interface should be oriented to inform the driver about the received notification without causing any distraction while driving. On the other hand, the RSU should be oriented to control and manage the notifications, as well as the devices themselves, by those authorized to do this work.Cada día nos preocupamos más sobre la seguridad vial mediante el cumplimiento de las normas de circulación con el fin de evitar o disminuir la siniestralidad en las carreteras. La concienciación de las normas de seguridad vial conlleva, como mínimo, a una reducción drástica del número de incidentes ocurridos en las vías de circulación. El actual método de sancionamiento mediante multas de tráfico pretende concienciar a los conductores de los vehículos que han cometido una infracción mediante el pago de las mismas. Sin embargo, el actual sistema sancionador no es muy eficiente en cuanto al tiempo de envío de la notificación. El medio de comunicación empleado (correo ordinario) incrementa este tiempo de notificación. El uso de medios electrónicos (puesta a disposición electrónica o Dirección Electrónica Vial) tampoco permite el inmediato conocimiento de la sanción por parte del infractor. En el caso de no tener los datos del conductor actualizados, las notificaciones de sancionamiento pueden no ser recibidas por el infractor o bien ser enviadas a un destinatario erróneo. Esto produce que el conductor del vehículo no sepa que ha cometido una infracción hasta mucho tiempo después de cometerla. Cuando el conductor reciba la notificación, el factor correctivo de la sanción ha perdido casi todo su significado. Este Proyecto Fin de Grado contribuye a la creación de un protocolo de comunicación entre la entidad sancionadora y el conductor del vehículo que comete una sanción de una forma mucho más eficiente y rápida. Para ello, es necesaria la utilización de un dispositivo que se encuentre en el propio vehículo, llamado On-Board Unit (OBU), que puede utilizar las tecnologías de comunicación móvil y tecnologías DSRC. Por otro lado, es necesario un dispositivo proveedor de servicios situado en distintos puntos de la calzada, al que llamaremos Road-Side Unit (RSU). El objetivo principal de este Proyecto Fin de Grado se corresponde con el análisis e implementación de dicho protocolo de comunicación para una red de comunicación que llamaremos Red Vehicular Ad-hoc (VANET). Mediante la utilización de estos dispositivos conectados a través de redes VANET se logra la comunicación inmediata entre ellos, que realizan un intercambio de la información del vehículo. De este modo, la RSU podría mandar notificaciones a las OBU de los vehículos para informar a los conductores de la infracción cometida. Gracias a estas notificaciones enviadas en tiempo real, el conductor se daría cuenta de la irregularidad en su conducción y procedería a corregirla. No obstante, es necesaria la utilización de una interfaz que haga de intermediaria entre el sistema de notificaciones y el propio usuario. Para ello se distinguen dos tipos de interfaces, orientadas según el objetivo del dispositivo al que van destinados. En el caso de la OBU, la interfaz deberá orientarse de forma que se informe al conductor de la notificación recibida sin que se produzca ninguna distracción durante la conducción. Por otro lado, la RSU deberá orientarse a controlar y gestionar tanto las notificaciones, como los propios dispositivos por aquellas personas autorizadas para ello.Ingeniería Informátic