Modeling chain collisions in vehicular networks with variable penetration rates

•Analyzing the process of collisions potentially occurring in a platoon.•The scenarios where the DSRC equipped vehicles are stochastically distributed.•The collision possibilities in different penetration rates and traffic scenarios.•Theoretical insights into the safety control of a vehicular platoon.

The vehicular ad hoc network has great potential in improving traffic safety. One of the most important and interesting issues in the research community is the safety evaluation with limited penetration rates of vehicles equipped with inter-vehicular communications. In this paper, a stochastic model is proposed for analyzing the vehicle chain collisions. It takes into account the influences of different penetration rates, the stochastic nature of inter-vehicular distance distribution, and the different kinematic parameters related to driver and vehicle. The usability and accuracy of this model is tested and proved by comparative experiments with Monte Carlo simulations. The collision outcomes of a platoon in different penetration rates and traffic scenarios are also analyzed based on this model. These results are useful to provide theoretical insights into the safety control of a heterogeneous platoon.