A mobile systems perspective on vehicular networks

Abstract

To date the vehicular networks community has primarily focused on designing vehicle-to-vehicle communication systems that can communicate reliably in environments with high mobility and rapidly varying vehicle density. As standards for vehicular communications are maturing, it is becoming increasingly important to understand how these communication systems can and should interact with other technologies in vehicular systems. Vehicles have become rich computing systems with access to a plethora of sensors and actuators. In addition, the dazzling innovation in smartphones, mobile apps, and other mobile devices is not only providing an alternate computing and communication platform inside vehicles - it also creates demand for innovations in vehicle computing systems, such as app stores for cars. This talk will first review our work on using smartphones for traffic monitoring, using vehicle mounted sensors for identifying parking spaces, and in-car localization to reduce driver distraction. Based on lessons learned from these early projects, this talk will then identify challenges and opportunities for mobile systems research in this evolving vehicular context.