VANET Routing Protocols – Short Notes
These notes summarize major VANET routing protocols, their working principles, advantages, disadvantages, and
examples.
Types of Routing
Type Idea
Topology-Based Uses network link information to route packets.
Position-Based (Geographic) Uses GPS coordinates for forwarding.
Cluster-Based Vehicles form clusters with cluster heads.
Broadcast Messages are flooded to nearby vehicles.
Geocast Messages are sent to a specific geographic region.
Topology-Based Routing
Subtype Description
Proactive Maintains routes continuously using routing tables.
Reactive Finds routes only when needed.
Hybrid Combines proactive and reactive methods.
Proactive Routing
Feature Details
Working Vehicles maintain updated routing tables periodically.
Advantages Low delay, immediate route availability.
Disadvantages High overhead due to periodic updates.
Examples DSDV, OLSR
DSDV (Destination Sequenced Distance Vector)
Feature Details
Working Uses routing tables and sequence numbers to avoid loops.
Advantages Simple and loop-free routing.
Disadvantages High overhead in large/highly mobile VANETs.
OLSR (Optimized Link State Routing)
Feature Details
Working Uses Multipoint Relays (MPRs) to reduce flooding.
Advantages Efficient in dense networks.
Disadvantages Control overhead still exists.
Reactive Routing
Feature Details
Working Routes discovered only when data must be sent.
Route Discovery Uses RREQ and RREP packets.
Route Maintenance Uses RERR when links break.
Advantages Low overhead.
Disadvantages Initial route discovery delay.
Examples AODV, DSR
AODV (Ad-hoc On-demand Distance Vector)
Feature Details
Working Uses RREQ/RREP and hop-by-hop routing.
Key Feature Sequence numbers ensure fresh routes.
Advantages Handles high mobility well.
Disadvantages Route discovery latency.
DSR (Dynamic Source Routing)
Feature Details
Working Complete route stored inside packet header.
Key Feature Route cache.
Advantages No periodic routing updates.
Disadvantages Packet headers become large in long routes.
Hybrid Routing (ZRP)
Feature Details
IARP Inside local zone → proactive routing.
IERP Outside zone → reactive routing.
Advantages Balances delay and overhead.
Disadvantages Zone maintenance complexity.
Position-Based Routing
Feature Details
Working Uses GPS coordinates instead of routing tables.
Greedy Strategy Forward packet to neighbor closest to destination.
Advantages Scalable for VANETs.
Disadvantages Local maximum problem may occur.
GPSR (Greedy Perimeter Stateless Routing)
Feature Details
Working Greedy forwarding + perimeter recovery.
Recovery Uses right-hand rule in perimeter mode.
Advantages Simple and scalable.
Disadvantages Fails in urban obstacle-heavy environments.
GPCR (Greedy Perimeter Coordinator Routing)
Feature Details
Working Uses junctions/intersections as coordinators.
Advantages Better urban routing than GPSR.
Disadvantages Performance drops in sparse traffic.
GSR (Geographic Source Routing)
Feature Details
Working Uses city maps + Dijkstra shortest path.
Anchor Points Packets follow sequence of junctions.
Advantages Good for urban roads.
Disadvantages Needs digital maps and may fail in sparse traffic.
A-STAR (Anchor-Based Street and Traffic Aware Routing)
Feature Details
Working Uses traffic density and bus routes for routing.
Advantages Selects highly connected roads.
Disadvantages Depends on accurate traffic information.
CBF (Contention-Based Forwarding)
Feature Details
Working Beaconless forwarding using timer-based contention.
Advantages Low overhead and no hello packets.
Disadvantages Urban local maximum issues.
Non-DTN vs DTN
Type Description
Non-DTN Real-time low-latency communication for safety applications.
DTN Uses store-carry-forward for intermittent connectivity.
Important Terms
Term Meaning
Beaconless No periodic hello messages are used.
Right-Hand Rule Clockwise traversal around obstacle in GPSR perimeter mode.
Local Maximum No neighbor is closer to destination.
RREQ Route Request packet.
RREP Route Reply packet.
RERR Route Error packet.