Reliable routing in IP-based VANET with network gaps

In a route with a network gap, a vehicle usually drops messages if it cannot find the next hop. In this case, communications may be disrupted. Therefore, it is very important to avoid network gaps when routing paths are established. This paper proposes a reliable routing scheme and aims to establish routing paths without network gaps to improve the packet delivery rate. In this scheme, a routing establishment algorithm based on road segments and virtual nodes is proposed. This algorithm can establish the routing paths without network gaps, so the packet loss caused by network gaps is avoided. Moreover, a message can be transmitted along the shortest routing path without a network gap, so the packet delivery rate is improved. Finally, this scheme is evaluated, and the data results show that the packet delivery rate is effectively improved.