Modeling the Evolution of Line-of-Sight Blockage for V2V Channels

We investigate the evolution of line of sight (LOS) blockage over both time and space for vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) channels. Using realistic vehicular mobility and building and foliage locations from maps, we first perform LOS blockage analysis to extract LOS probabilities in real cities and on highways for varying vehicular densities. Next, to model the time evolution of LOS blockage for V2V links, we employ a three-state discrete-time Markov chain comprised of the following states: i) LOS; ii) non-LOS due to static objects (e.g., buildings, trees, etc.); and iii) non-LOS due to mobile objects (vehicles). We obtain state transition probabilities based on the evolution of LOS blockage. Finally, we perform curve fitting and obtain a set of distance-dependent equations for both LOS and transition probabilities. These equations can be used to generate time-evolved V2V channel realizations for representative urban and highway environments. Our results can be used to perform highly efficient and accurate simulations without the need to employ complex geometry-based models for link evolution.