Traffic monitoring and incident detection using cellular and early stage VANET technology deployment

In the current Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) traffic monitoring and incident detection are usually supported with mostly traditional and relatively slow reactivity technologies. In this paper we propose a new service, namely THOR (Traffic monitoring Hybrid ORiented service), able to combine two different wireless technologies and to provide real time information about vehicular traffic monitoring and incident detection. THOR relies on LTE (Long Term Evolution) and Dedicated Short Range Communication based VANETs (Vehicular ad-hoc NETworks) in a hybrid approach, which is compliant with ITS standards. This hybrid networking approach can be deployed today and can be ready for tomorrow VANET technology. We test THOR by simulations in a scenario with vehicle flows synthesized from real measured vehicular traffic traces. We provide an LTE load analysis and an assessment of incident detection capabilities. Our results are promising in terms of reactivity, precision and network traffic load sustainability.