Evaluation of BLE beacon technology for time critical I2V communication to support CAV deployment on urban roadways

Abstract

Road traffic accidents are on the rise. Most accidents are due to factors such as driver error and failure to obey traffic signs. Connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) are expected to reduce accidents and improve road safety by navigating safer and faster than traditional cars. Vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, which includes infrastructure-to-vehicle (I2V) and vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication, can support the deployment of CAVs and enhance road safety for both human-only-driven and automated vehicles. Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacons are a potential technology for I2V communication due to their low cost, compact size, low power consumption, mass compatibility with modern devices, and relatively large range. This study evaluated the potential of using BLE beacons as roadside units (RSUs) attached to traffic signs to deliver time-critical information to vehicles in urban road settings. To this end, the study utilized a CAV development platform to determine whether the vehicle was able to receive the beacon message far enough to take appropriate action while driving at the road's speed limit, taking into consideration road geometry and accounting for both dry and wet road conditions. In addition, the study tested several BLE beacon configurations to determine optimal configurations that achieved the required distance at all signs. The results of this study demonstrated that BLE beacons have the potential to be used in time sensitive I2V communications on urban roads. In addition, the optimal beacon configurations for the signs to be safely detected by CAVs were identified.