Wireless Signal Propagation Analysis on Connected Autonomous Vehicle Test Bed in Northern Malaysia

Abstract

Connected and Autonomous Vehicle (CAV) technologies are among the most heavily researched automotive technologies in the industry with regards to making it more efficient and flexible for the user. This paper discusses the signal profile observed on connected autonomous vehicle testbed environment in an approved UniMAP Circuit. Wireless devices were used to perform channel measurements in such an environment. Data were collected and observation was recorded and analysed. The purpose is to analyse and evaluate signal propagation properties for the optimization of wireless roadside devices in CAV application such as junction controller. Two important paths have been chosen to represent the environment and transmitter to receiver communications were measured and characteristics are recorded at which Path 1 is on a tar road while Path 2 is a mix of gravel-tar-grass field. The result shows that both paths show an abrupt decrease in signal power for the first 10 m showing the diffusion region of signal propagation and then starts to fluctuate between -62 dBm and -93 dBm for Path 1 while it fluctuates between -44 dBm and -79 dBm for Path 2. From these results, we can conclude that the performance of the signal profile differs relative to the different surfaces they propagate. These results will definitely have a major effect in the application of any Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) technologies in regards to signal propagation being analysed beforehand, making sure that the signal transmission works at its best.