Vehicular Ad Hoc NETworks versus Internet of Vehicles - A Comparative View

The recent evolution in communication network technologies led to the emergence of a smart connected objects system, which in turn gives the possibility to objects to communicate with each other through Internet of Things (IoT). This last gives to the traditional Vehicular Adhoc NETworks (VANETs) the ability to be extended and have a new naming as Internet of Vehicles (IoV). IoV is defined as the real time exchanged information on roads between vehicles and sensors, vehicles and vehicles, vehicles and roads, and also vehicles and personal devices using different wireless communication technologies. Many people confuse between VANETs and IoV and do not know the major differences between them. Several works have been proposed to define VANETs and IoV separately, but no one gives a comprehensive comparison between them. In this paper we clarify the basic differences between VANETs and IoV in different aspects. First we define the difference between VANETs communication architecture and IoV communication architecture. Then we cite the network technologies that exist in VANETs and IoV environments. Next we describe cloud based IoV platform. Finally we illustrate the protocol stack of each system.

I. Introduction

In the recent decade, mobile communications have known a great development by enabling us to interchange data with anything, anywhere and at any time. The utilization of such kind of developed communications systems in vehicles is anticipated to be a reality in the next years. VANETs inherit the characteristics of Mobile Adhoc NETworks (MANET) as free connected objects capable of moving randomly and communicate wirelessly. VANETs refers to the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS), where vehicles are intelligent objects communicating (send and receive data) between each other with a smart manner [1]. This new concept of exchanging data between vehicles, sensors, and infrastructure will offer a variety of applications for driver such as: driver safety, driver assistance and infotainment. Internet of Things (IoT) is a network of objects containing sensors in which they capture and gather data from their surroundings and distribute data through the internet [2]. IoV allows data collecting and information sharing about vehicles, roads and their surroundings.