Vehicle-To-Vehicle Communication Using MPI + GPU Technology

Inter-vehicle communication (IVC) systems promise many potentially beneficial services.  Imagine adaptive cruise control monitoring varying speeds and positions of nearby vehicles to automatically adjust your speed and help avoid collisions.  Traffic congestion can be reduced by transmitting real time conditions and rerouting motorists to less busy roads.  These measures could even lead to a reduction in pollution by decreasing overall travel times.

Unfortunately, a stable communications link faces numerous design challenges. IVC systems require the ability to transmit and receive omnidirectional signals.  A single antenna can achieve this goal if perfectly placed; however, vehicles offer very few practical mounting positions.  This generally precludes the possibility of optimal placement and leads to the use of multiple antennas.  In this MIMO arrangement, the designing engineer must ensure complete coverage.  The impact of vehicle shape and material composition further complicates efforts as these properties affect antenna impedance and radiation characteristics.

External variables also play a role in the design of IVC systems.  These products must function in a number of environments and operating conditions.  The presence of a nearby tractor trailer might reflect or block signals.  A wet road surface will propagate fields differently than a dry one, and propagation in urban canyons troubles many communication systems.

Discovering and addressing such obstacles during the design phase greatly reduces the possibility of costly rework and substantially improves the chance of a successful product launch; however, measurements alone may prove insufficient.  This example considers an IVC system functioning in highway traffic conditions on a dry road surface.  XFdtd EM Simulation Software provides an accurate and efficient evaluation of actual operating scenarios prior to fabrication.