Prioritizing and Enhancing Vehicular Networks Authentication Process Using DSRC Channels Diversity

In this paper we introduce a prioritization scheme for enhancing the performance of the authentication process in vehicular networks using dedicated short range communications (DSRC). We consider the authentication as a service that should be required by each user in order to gain access to the network and to the offered services. Instead of using a unique channel to transmit the messages of the authentication service as in the case of the legacy DSRC model, our scheme extends this latter through exploiting the various DSRC channels based on a channel sensing approach that aims to prioritize the transmission of the authentication messages (with respect to the transmission of other DSRC services messages of the same priority as the authentication service). We implemented our proposed solution under the GrooveNet vehicular network simulator, where we analyze its performance impact on a previously proposed vehicular network authentication mechanism. Extensive simulations show the success of our proposed scheme in providing a more efficient and robust authentication in the presence of other services´ traffics.