Chapter 1 Introduction: intelligent vehicular communications

1.4.1.5 Zigbee
In vehicular communication particular attention is given to IEEE 802.15.4 Zigbee communication 
since it is well suited for an adaptive network. IEEE 1609 standard, which is a fundamental standard, 
can also assist IEEE 802.15.4, which helps in improving network services, multichannel operations, 
and resource management in ITS. Zigbee is especially intended to support sensing, monitoring, and 
control applications with the lowest power consumption, respectively. In comparison with the tradi-
tional GPS navigation system, the IEEE 802.15.4-based driver assistance system is cost-effective and 
along with the navigation application, it provides warning capabilities to vehicles. Additionally, Zigbee 
can accommodate various network topologies such as star, peer-to-peer, mesh, and so forth. Also, there 
are various other features of Zigbee, such as support for low-energy devices requiring time-critical, 
medium data rate, non-line-of-sight operation, and reliable communication for ITS.

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1.4 
VEHICULAR COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES
1.4.2
VISIBLE LIGHT COMMUNICATION (VLC)
VLC uses lighting sources as transmitters and utilizes photodiodes as receivers for establishing com-
munication. Various research organizations are working on VLC applications like such as Visible Light 
Communications Consortium and the IEEE task group, 802.15.7 and so forth. With reference to ve-
hicular network, the merits are that VLC data rate is up to 500 Mbps and VLC is energy efficient due 
to the use of LEDs. In ITS environment, VLC can be used for processing minor application scenarios 
such as sensor data and so forth. The sensors are used to provide efficient environmental monitoring. 
There are also a few drawbacks to VLC, such as how it supports line-of-sight (LOS) communications, 
which can be used only at a short range.