A discrete Mathematical Framework for Tracking Information Dissemination Dynamics via Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communications in an urban roadway Network

Vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) based on wireless communication protocol enables vehicles to exchange traffic information online. This technology advance grants many innovative applications for improving traffic efficiency of current transportation systems. However, we still lack the understanding of the information dissemination dynamics factoring traffic flow dynamics over a road traffic network. Motivated by this lack, this research first develops an information network flow model (IFNM) to track information front spreading dynamics at intersections. Next, by integrating IFNM with IT-CTM model developed for capturing the information front propagation dynamics on a road segment, we develop a discrete mathematical simulation model (i.e., IFNM- CTM) to track the information front spreading dynamics over a road network. The numerical experiments based on simulation data illustrate that our simulation model is able to track information front spreading, including location and coverage, accurately with the MAE less than 6% and 5% respectively. Thus, this integrative model captures more realities in both transportation and communication, which provides better systematic knowledge for information spreading dynamics in roadway networks and potentially sustains real time applications of V2V communication in various ITS systems.