Safety Assessment of Radio Frequency and Visible Light Communication for Vehicular Networks

The primary objective of vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) networks is to save approximately a million lives every year by augmenting the existing safety functions of our vehicles. This article reviews the characteristics required in order to fulfil this promise. A critical assessment highlights the strengths and weaknesses of Dedicated Short-Range Communications (DSRC), Long Term Evolution (LTE), 5G and Visible Light Communication (VLC), and considers possible enhancements to address the identified weaknesses. On balance, it appears that DSRC is the leading technology for vehicular safety applications. The limitations are well understood and there is potential to address these with future improvements.