Mobility Models for Next Generation Wireless Networks

Chapter 12

Vehicular Networks: Macroscopic and Microscopic Mobility Models

Modeling mobility in a vehicular network is a very challenging task. In fact, vehicular mobility displays several features that, on the one hand, can be difficult to model and, on the other hand, have a deep impact on a vehicle's mobility behavior. Examples of distinguishing features of vehicular mobility are:

1. Geographically constrained movements: vehicles are (luckily!) not allowed to move arbitrarily in the space, but are forced to move along pre-existing paths—the roads. Hence, geographically constrained movement is a very important feature of vehicular mobility, which cannot be overlooked in the definition of the mobility model if an acceptable level of realism is sought.

2. Obedience to traffic rules: very strict rules govern movement of vehicles along roads, such as speed limits, traffic junction rules, lane changing rules, etc. Thus, at least the most representative such rules should be incorporated into the mobility model in order to improve accuracy.

3. Driver behavior: different drivers might display very different driving styles concerning, for example, willingness to respect traffic rules, aggressive/non-aggressive driving behavior, etc. Including driver behavior in the mobility model is perhaps the most difficult task in vehicular mobility modeling, which explains why a driver behavioral model is often not included in the vehicular model definition. However, at least for certain applications ...