A Wireless Sensor Network Simulation for Highway Intersection Collision Prevention

A number of innovative methodologies have been developed in an effort to stem the number of collisions that occur at intersections. A number of collision avoidance systems involve the deployment of sensors before the intersection to relay important information to the base station (BS) which controls a stop/warning signal visible to the driver. To this end a study of the limitations that sensor-intersection distance, sensor spacing, the number of sensors, measurement noise and variance in acceleration of a vehicle are examined through simulation of a sensor network. Specifically, a network employing magnetic field sensors that communicate wirelessly with the BS is examined, with the idea that general design principles can be applied to various other types of sensor networks. Special emphasis is placed on rural intersections which typically have static intersection driver directions (stop/yield signs) rather than traffic lights. Thorough analysis of the simulated system performance under ideal and non-ideal conditions is provided.