GuideWeb: a conceptually infrastructure-free vehicle navigation system

A new paradigm named GuideWeb for networks based on vehicle-to-vehicle (v2v) communication is presented. GuideWeb is a support network for vehicle navigation and guidance. It is constituted by the cooperation of a multitude of autonomous MapSynthesiser nodes located in vehicles. A MapSynthesiser, being the autonomous core of GuideWeb, receives over radio communication traffic flow information using information-enhanced maps (called map syntheses) from other GuideWeb participants' MapSynthesiser. From received map syntheses and the information of its own travel route it creates a new map synthesis, which is then broadcasted. MapSynthesiser provides timely and accurate information on traffic flow and density as well as traversability everywhere within a radius of '100'km to a navigation system for driver assistance. MapSynthesiser cooperation is based on short-range radio communication (e.g. Wireless Local Area Network ' WLAN) and/or mobile communication networks. GuideWeb deploys the simple method of broadcast for network formation and thus, avoids the time lags arising from setting up and maintaining a connection-oriented ad hoc network. By the map-based data design, data security and privacy are ensured. Therefore, GuideWeb can serve as a commercially viable introductory phase for full-fledged v2v communication networks. The lessons learned from GuideWeb deployment provide insights for a v2v network design.