On the Effects of Detailed Mobility Models in Vehicular Network Simulations

While it is crucial to test and evaluate protocol implementations in a real world environment, simulations are still commonly used as a first step in the protocol development for VANET research. One of the most important parameters in simulating ad-hoc networks is the node mobility. It is important to use a realistic mobility model so that results from the simulation correctly reflect the real-world performance of a VANET. A realistic mobility model should consist of a realistic topological map which reflects different densities of roads and different categories of streets with various speed limits. Another important parameter should be modeled is the obstacles. In addition, each vehicle needs to decide a turning directions at the intersection (e.g. turn left, turn right or go straight). Such a turning model could have an effect on the congestion of the road as well as on the clustering of the vehicles. Furthermore, a smooth deceleration and acceleration model should be considered since vehicles do not abruptly break and move. Many prior studies [7, 2] have shown that a realistic model with sufficient level of details is critical for accurate network simulation results.