Design and Implementation of a Vehicular Visible Light Communication System Using LED Lamps for Driving Dynamics Data Exchange in Tunnels

This study presents the design and implementation of a vehicular visible light communication (VLC) system that establishes an expandable VLC-based chain network within tunnel environments to facilitate the exchange of driving dynamics data, such as target speed and acceleration, between consecutive vehicles. The primary aim of the proposed system is to improve road safety by reducing the risk of chain collisions and hard braking events, particularly in tunnels, where limited visibility and the absence of global positioning system signals hinder drivers’ ability to accurately assess road conditions. A key feature of the proposed system is its adaptive beam alignment mechanism, which dynamically adjusts the orientation of the light-emitting diode (LED) module on the transmitting vehicle based on rhw wheel angle data estimated by the inertial measurement unit sensor. This adjustment ensures a continuous and reliable communication link with surrounding vehicles, even when navigating curves within the tunnel. Additionally, the proposed system can be integrated into actual vehicles with minimal modification by utilizing a built-in lighting system (i.e., LED taillights), offering a cost-effective and scalable solution to achieve the objective.