Evaluating the Impact of a 3D Simulation Model on the Performance of Vehicular Networks

A crucial aspect of vehicular networks is the wireless communication between a vehicle and the road infrastructure, which is strongly influenced by various three-dimensional factors, including the height of buildings, the presence of natural and artificial obstacles, the altitude, and the positioning of the antennas. 2D simulators fail to capture these influences fully, as they simplify and flatten the terrain. This paper presents the extension of the Veins vehicular network simulators to take into account the third dimension. We describe the key algorithms we implemented, the limited increased simulation time, and most of all the improved accuracy in evaluating the coverage of a mobile vehicular network.