Investigating the performance of a vehicular communication system based on visible light communication (VLC)

The use of visible light for vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication is intrinsically suited. This work uses the NS3.25 simulator to develop and simulate a V2V communication system based on visible light communication (VLC) technology. The bulk of VLC-based V2V simulation frameworks documented in the literature assume that vehicles communicating via VLC-based V2V communication have perfect transmitter and receiver alignment. Even if the two vehicles are in the same lane, precise alignment is impossible to achieve in practise. Through realistic channel modelling of a VLC-based V2V connection, the simulation of the system and investigation of the proposed system is carried out for two modulation approaches On–Off Keying and Variable Pulse Code Modulation. The results demonstrate that VLC is a viable technique for vehicle communication, and that it may be used in practically any situation when combined with radio frequency, i.e. in hybrid mode.