Distributed storage codes reduce latency in vehicular networks

We investigate the benefits of distributed storage using erasure codes for file sharing in vehicular networks through realistic trace-based simulations. We find that coding offers substantial benefits over simple replication when the file sizes are large compared to the average download bandwidth available per encounter. Our simulations, based on a large real vehicle trace from Beijing combined with a realistic radio link quality model for a IEEE 802.11p dedicated short range communication (DSRC) radio, demonstrate that coding provides significant cost reduction in vehicular networks.