A Privacy-Preserving Trust Model for VANETs

Vehicular ad hoc network (VANET) is a promising technology for providing safer roads and a more efficient driving experience. However, the deployment of VANETs is dependent on several issues in security and privacy. In this paper, a trust-based privacy-preserving model for VANETs is presented. The model is unique in its ability to protect privacy while maintaining accurate reputation-based trust. We use the notion of groups in order to make the VANET users anonymous within their groups and yet identifiable and accountable to their group managers. The use of groups simplifies the task of building reputation and calculating trust in the received messages in order to provide better and more confident decisions. We present simulations of the proposed model that verify its correctness and reliability.