Vehicular ad hoc networks for joint traffic and mobility management

In the literature, the problems related to traffic and mobility management are typically addressed separately. However, the solutions to these problems-especially if based on vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs)-are highly dependent, hence should be addressed jointly. Empirical studies demonstrate that improvements in traffic efficiency create latent travel demand. While lower tailpipe emissions and fuel consumption can be observed per single vehicle, global fuel consumption and emissions increase. It does not mean that improvements in traffic efficiency provide no benefits. Instead, they should be made in conjunction with mobility management initiatives, which allow global reductions in fuel consumption and emissions. In this article, we analyse examples of traffic and mobility management, where joint VANET-based solutions can be applied. Two mobility-related services are analysed-bus priority and real-time passenger information. As for traffic management, the focus is made on collaborative routing and green light speed advisory. We introduce a generic system architecture based on buses that can support traffic- and mobility-related applications relying on VANETs.