OpenCV2X Mode 4: a simulation extension for cellular vehicular communication networks

In this work the authors present the first publicly available, open-source simulation model of the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Release 14 Cellular Vehicle to Everything (C-V2X) standard. The model specifically addresses Mode 4, in which vehicles communicate directly in peer to peer mode using a distributed resource allocation algorithm. Importantly, the model is fully compliant with existing service and application layers already defined by the automotive and standards communities, providing a fully standardised cross-layer communication model spanning application layer based on the ITS-G5 standard to physical layer from the new C-V2X Mode 4 standard. This enables enhancements of the lower layers to support future vehicular use cases. The simulation model has been implemented by extending SimuLTE, an OMNeT++ cellular communication stack that enables simulation of LTE networks as well as extending and integrating Artery, an ETSI compliant ITS-G5 implementation. The developed model is validated using published 3GPP simulation evaluation scenarios and is available at www.cs.ucc.ie/cv2x

LTE/NR V2X Communication Modes and Future Requirements of Intelligent Transportation Systems Based on MR-DC Architectures

[EN] This paper deals with the potential of Third Generation Partnership (3GPP) Project mobile cellular standards to enable vehicular communications. Starting from 3GPP Release 15, and Release 16 specifications for Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) communications, the different communication modes, interfaces and use cases for V2X based on Long Term Evolution (LTE) and New Radio (NR) are analyzed. This research also studies the potential beneficial impact on V2X of a network that is aware of the underlying Multi-RAT Dual Connectivity (MR-DC) architecture. The methodology followed in this work consists of a review of 3GPP standards for vehicular communications based on mobile networks. The performance evaluation of the communication modes was performed through simulations taking into account resource allocation schemes, packet transmission frequencies, packet size, vehicle density and other parameters defined in the standard. In order to perform simulations of the decentralized communication mode (mode 4), a simulator based on OMNeT++ was configured. For the centralized mode (mode 3), an analytical model in MATLAB was used to configure different simulation scenarios. The results obtained indicate that LTE networks can only support basic V2X use cases because they do not demand strict potential requirements. Simulations showed that the centralized mode offers better performance than mode 4; however, it requires cellular network coverage. More advanced use cases are key for a future Intelligent Transport System (ITS), high-performance networks (i.e., Fifth Generation (5G), NR) are expected to coexist gradually with LTE in the V2X landscape. Therefore, in order to meet the strict requirements for latency, transmission speed and reliability, MR-DC architectures combining different radio access technologies, communication modes and connection interfaces should be deployed. In addition, operation in multi-operator and cross-border scenarios must be guaranteed.This research was supported by the European Union's H2020-ICT-18-2018 action "5G for cooperative, connected and automated mobility", for project "5G for Connected and Automated Road Mobility in the European unioN (5G-CARMEN)" under grant agreement no. 825012.González, EE.; Garcia-Roger, D.; Monserrat Del Río, JF. (2022). LTE/NR V2X Communication Modes and Future Requirements of Intelligent Transportation Systems Based on MR-DC Architectures. Sustainability. 14(7):1-19. https://doi.org/10.3390/su1407387911914

Performance Analysis of the Cellular-V2X Mode 4

This TFM intends to explore the V2X communication capabilities for 5G systems, starting from the V2X sidelink defined in LTE Rel. 14 and including the most recent advances for 5G NR currently considered by recent release 16. The project targets to analyze the different simulation tools that are available for assessing the performance of V2X communications and to carry out a performance assessment of the technology.Vehicular communications are becoming a reality and are necessary to improve safety driving conditions. The objective of this thesis is to introduce the basic concepts of Cellular-V2X Mode 4 and analyze its performance in terms of channel busy ratio (CBR) and packet delivery ratio (PDR) under different scenarios and configurations. A C-V2X Mode 4 Simulator has been used to check the impact of different parameters such as the transmission rate, modulation and coding scheme, transmission power, subchannelization or probability of keeping the granted resources among others. Two different scenarios have been considered, a fast highway and a congested highway with low speed and high vehicle traffic congestion. The results have revealed relevant differences in terms of PDR between both scenarios. The main causes of failure, the delay and CBR have been also analyzed. The transmission rate is the parameter that most influences the overall performance of the network. In some cases such as the congested highway scenario, obtained performance has revealed some limitations of the technology, e.g. in terms of PDR... and it is expected that with the new capacities of 5G NR it could be improved

Multi-Technology Cooperative Driving: An Analysis Based on PLEXE

Cooperative Driving requires ultra-reliable communications, and it is now clear that no single technology will ever be able to satisfy such stringent requirements, if only because active jamming can kill (almost) any wireless technology. Cooperative driving with multiple communication technologies which complement each other opens new spaces for research and development, but also poses several challenges. The work we present tackles the fallback and recovery mechanisms that the longitudinal controlling system of a platoon of vehicles can implement as a distributed system with multiple communication interfaces. We present a protocol and procedure to correctly compute the safe transition between different controlling algorithms, down to autonomous (or manual) driving when no communication is possible. To empower the study, we also develop a new version of PLEXE, which is an integral part of this contribution as the only Open Source, free simulation tool that enables the study of such systems with a modular approach, and that we deem offers the community the possibility of boosting research in this field. The results we present demonstrate the feasibility of safe fallback, but also highlight that such complex systems require careful design choices, as naive approaches can lead to instabilities or even collisions, and that such design can only be done with appropriate in-silico experiments

Performance analysis of V2X technologies 802.11p and LTE-PC5

The concept of Digital Twin (DT) has been broadly adopted in the Industry 4.0, in the healthcare and in the Smart Cities. It represents a digital model of the reality where it is possible to test and evaluate different actions before implementing them into the real world. In the context of Smart City, the digital copy of the city includes the representation of the road infrastructure, vehicles, pedestrians, .... Its main objectives are to ease the road maintenance, to provide the means for mobility simulations, and to create traffic information management systems. This prNowadays, Vehicular-to-Everything (V2X) communications are becoming an essential element to improve safe driving conditions and autonomous driving. This thesis presents a comparison of two V2X communication technologies: IEEE 802.11p, and Cellular-V2X. The objective of this study is to evaluate the performance of both technologies in terms of the Medium Acces Control (MAC) layer, especially in a congested environment. Therefore, we analyze the different schemes used on these technologies to access shared channel resources and avoid interferences. The study is conducted using several simulation tools: SUMO which allows us to create personalized scenarios, and OMNeT++ used to simulate the network and transmit all the V2X messages between the vehicles. With SUMO we created a highway scenario that can support a high density of vehicles. And OMNeT++ is used to change the main simulation parameters, and obtain results such as all the packets received and sent through the network. Finally, we defined some performance metrics to analyze the results and observe how the technologies react over a congested scenario, with high densities of vehicles

On the Design of Sidelink for Cellular V2X: A Literature Review and Outlook for Future

Connected and fully automated vehicles are expected to revolutionize our mobility in the near future on a global scale, by significantly improving road safety, traffic efficiency, and traveling experience. Enhanced vehicular applications, such as cooperative sensing and maneuvering or vehicle platooning, heavily rely on direct connectivity among vehicles, which is enabled by sidelink communications. In order to set the ground for the core contribution of this paper, we first analyze the main streams of the cellular-vehicle-to-everything (C-V2X) technology evolution within the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), with focus on the sidelink air interface. Then, we provide a comprehensive survey of the related literature, which is classified and critically dissected, considering both the Long-Term Evolution-based solutions and the 5G New Radio-based latest advancements that promise substantial improvements in terms of latency and reliability. The wide literature review is used as a basis to finally identify further challenges and perspectives, which may shape the C-V2X sidelink developments in the next-generation vehicles beyond 5G

Quantifying the Impact of Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything (C-V2X) on Transportation System Efficiency, Energy and Environment

69A43551747123As communication technology develops at a rapid pace, connected vehicles (CVs) can potentially enhance vehicle safety while reducing energy consumption and emissions via data sharing. Many researchers have attempted to quantify the impacts of such CV applications and cellular vehicle-to-everything (C-V2X) communication. Highly efficient information interchange in a CV environment can provide timely data to enhance the transportation system\u2019s capacity, and it can support applications that improve vehicle safety and minimize negative impacts on the environment. This study summarizes existing literature on the safety, mobility, and environmental impacts of CV applications; gaps in current CV research; and recommended directions for future CV research. The study investigates a C-V2X eco-routing application that considers the performance of the C-V2X communication technology (mainly packet loss). The performance of the C-V2X communication is dependent on the vehicular traffic density, which is affected by traffic mobility patterns and vehicle routing strategies. As a case study of C-V2X applications, we developed an energy-efficient dynamic routing application using C-V2X Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) communication technology. Specifically, we developed a Connected Energy-Efficient Dynamic Routing (C-EEDR) application and used it in an integrated vehicular traffic and communication simulator (INTEGRATION). The results demonstrate that the C-EEDR application achieves fuel savings of up to 16.6% and 14.7% in the IDEAL and C-V2X communication cases, respectively, for a peak hour demand on the downtown Los Angeles network considering a 50% level of market penetration of connected vehicles

Performance Analysis of Sidelink 5G-V2X Mode 2 through an Open-Source Simulator

The Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) has recently published a new set of specifications to enable advanced driving applications in fifth generation (5G) vehicle-to-everything (V2X) scenarios, with particular effort dedicated to the sidelink resource allocation in the autonomous mode, named Mode 2. In this paper, we conduct a comprehensive analysis of Mode 2 performance via an open-source system-level simulator, which implements the 5G New Radio (NR) flexible numerology and physical layer aspects together with the newly specified sidelink resource allocation modes for V2X communications and different data traffic patterns. Results collected through extensive simulation campaigns, under a wide variety of vehicle density, data transmission settings and traffic patterns, showcase the effects of the new 5G-V2X features on the sidelink resource allocation performance and provide some insights into possible ways to further improve Mode 2 performance