Cars, trucks and other vehicles may soon be equipped with a new kind of wireless technology called Dedicated Short-Range Communications (DSRC) that is similar to Wi-Fi. This would allow vehicles to communicate with each other, and with stationary devices placed alongside the road. Initial uses of DSRC technology will support applications that improve automotive safety, perhaps setting off alarms when two cars are on a collision course, but this is just the beginning. Collectively, these vehicles and roadside devices could form a wireless mesh network which serves as a new way to provide Internet access, or a new way to collect sensor information throughout a city. Vehicular networks could also be important for autonomous vehicles someday. We will explore many aspects of vehicular networks, including their costs and benefits, their spectrum needs, protocols and architectures, security and privacy, possible industry structure, and much more.
A sample video interview on this topic with Professor Peha.
Sample paper: