Co-organized by: IEEE ICNP'24: The 32st IEEE International Conference on Network Protocols The papers will be published in IEEE Xplore as part of the ICNP proceedings
13:30-13:35: Welcome
13:35-14:30 (55 min): Navigating the Evolution of Railway Communication: Addressing Current Challenges and Embracing Future Innovations
Etienne Fayt (Alstom, Belgium)
14:30-15:00 (30 min): Potential of Vehicular Opportunistic Networking in Urban Mobility
Takamasa Higuchi (Toyota Motor Corporation, Japan)
15:00-15:30 (30 min): V2X4Robot: when social robotics meets vehicular communications for a safe and an ethical cooperative automated driving
Alexey Vinel (KIT, Germany)
15:30-16:00 Break
16:00-16:30 (30 min): Towards Time-sensitive Wireless Networks: Challenges, Opportunities, and Research Directions
Doğanalp Ergenç (Telecommunication Networks (TKN), TU Berlin, Germany)
16:30-17:00 (30 min): Next-Generation Mobility: Latency-First Wireless Mesh Networks
Jonathan Oostvogels (KULeuven, Belgium)
Navigating the Evolution of Railway Communication: Addressing Current Challenges and Embracing Future Innovations
Etienne Fayt (Alstom, Belgium)
Abstract: In today's railway industry, the demands for communication infrastructure are evolving rapidly alongside the ever-expanding array of applications. Current communication methods, such as GSM-R for ETCS and critical voice, alongside 4G-5G for ATO and passenger information systems, underscore the diversity of requirements within the modern rail ecosystem. However, with this diversity comes the challenge of managing numerous antennas and mitigating interference between different radio systems, a challenge that requires innovative solutions.
Looking towards the future, the impending obsolescence of GSM-R necessitates a transition towards more advanced communication paradigms. Enter FRMCS, the Future Railway Mobile Communication System, promising enhanced capabilities and flexibility. Yet, the transition from GSM-R to FRMCS presents its own set of challenges, requiring careful navigation to ensure seamless integration and operational continuity.
In the realm of metro systems, where Communication-Based Train Control (CBTC) and multimedia applications reign supreme, the communication landscape is equally complex. The evolution of communication needs for signaling and multimedia services demands a forward-looking approach. Current radio system architectures, including IEEE802.11 and 4G, are being complemented by future architectures like IEEE802.11ax and 5G, signaling a shift towards higher performance and efficiency.
However, one significant challenge looms large: the coexistence of CBTC radio systems and vehicles within the 5915-5935 MHz frequency band in open-air line sections. This band, mandated by European regulations, must be shared with vehicles equipped with radio ITSG5 (IEEE802.11p) or LTE/5G-V2X systems. Here, the prioritization of CBTC radio systems within the 5915-5925 MHz band adds a layer of complexity that demands innovative solutions and robust coordination efforts.
In this keynote address, we will explore the intricate interplay between evolving communication needs, emerging technologies, and regulatory imperatives within the railway industry. Through insightful discussions and forward-thinking perspectives, we aim to chart a course towards a more connected, efficient, and resilient railway communication infrastructure for the future.
Bio: Etienne Fayt is a seasoned expert in the field of communications for rail transport. Since his early days at Alstom, Etienne played a key role in the definition of radio systems for CBTC (Communication-Based Train Control). Currently, his work focuses on the analysis and optimization of CBTC radio solutions, as well as the efficient installation of FRMCS (Future Railway Mobile Communication System) compatible trains. Etienne strives to solve the complex challenges of interference between the various radio systems on board trains. At the same time, he is working with renowned partners such as RATP, Siemens, and representatives of the ROAD ITS community, within the framework of ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute), to develop essential frequency sharing standards, notably in the 5915-5925 MHz band. This major initiative is jointly funded by ETSI and the European Community, demonstrating Etienne's commitment to developing cutting-edge technological solutions for the rail industry. Before joining Alstom, Etienne gained valuable experience at SAIT system, where he worked on a variety of projects for the ESA (European Space Agency), notably in the field of satellite transmission and retransmission of radio signals in tunnels, covering a wide range of technologies such as AM, FM, GSM, GSM-R, and even satellite. With his technical skills and commitment to innovation, Etienne Fayt continues to play a key role in shaping the future of rail transport communication systems worldwide.
Potential of Vehicular Opportunistic Networking in Urban Mobility
Takamasa Higuchi (Toyota Motor Corporation, Japan)
Abstract: The increasing network traffic from connected vehicles is putting a strain on the limited bandwidth resources of cellular networks. Vehicular opportunistic networks (OppNets) have been considered an effective means of offloading cellular data traffic, while its quantitative performance in urban road traffic remains unclear in many aspects. This talk will unveil the potential of data offloading over vehicular OppNets by city-scale network simulations in Nagoya, Japan. The results indicate that a significant amount of data traffic can be offloaded to vehicular OppNets even with only 1% or less ratio of vehicles being involved in inver-vehicle communications.
Bio: Takamasa Higuchi is a Senior Researcher at Toyota Motor Corporation in Tokyo, Japan. He received his B.E., M.E. and Ph.D. degrees from Osaka University, Japan, in 2010, 2012, and 2014, respectively. He started his professional carrier as an Assistant Professor at Osaka University, where he led several research projects on mobile computing and networking. During his appointment at Osaka University, he was also affiliated with the University of California, Los Angeles as a Visiting Scholar. He joined Toyota in 2016, and has since been leading R&D projects on vehicular communications, vehicular cloud computing, and network simulations. He served as a TPC Co-Chair of the IEEE Vehicular Networking Conference (VNC) in 2021 and 2023.
V2X4Robot: when social robotics meets vehicular communications for a safe and an ethical cooperative automated driving
Alexey Vinel (KIT, Germany)
Abstract: Autonomous vehicles promise to bring enhanced safety on our roads. On the way towards full autonomy, sharing roads between automated vehicles and human actors is unavoidable. Moreover, even if all the vehicles were autonomous, pedestrians would still be crossing the streets. We present an innovative concept of social robot as a moderator between automated vehicles (via vehicular communications) and vulnerable road users (via natural communications). We argue the need for a new vehicular communications protocols design so that the robot could perform both the routine guidance as well as the pre-crash ethical moderation.
Bio: Alexey Vinel is a professor at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Germany. Previously he was a professor at the University of Passau, Germany. Since 2015, he has been a professor at Halmstad University, Sweden (now part-time). He received the Ph.D. degree from the Tampere University of Technology, Finland in 2013. He has been the Senior Member of the IEEE since 2012. His areas of interests include vehicular communications and networking, cooperative driving, future smart mobility solutions.
Towards Time-sensitive Wireless Networks: Challenges, Opportunities, and Research Directions
Doğanalp Ergenç (Telecommunication Networks (TKN), TU Berlin, Germany)
Abstract: The increasing adoption of wireless networking in modern safety-critical systems, such as industrial automation, automotive, and avionics applications, demands communication technologies handling stringent latency and reliability requirements. While emerging technologies like Wi-Fi 7 and 6G offer promising solutions, ensuring time-sensitive communication over wireless medium remains a significant challenge due to its stochastic nature. In contrast, IEEE 802.1 Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) standards enable deterministic communication through advanced traffic scheduling, configuration, and reliability mechanisms, but they are primarily designed for Ethernet-based wired systems. This talk explores the integration of TSN protocols with wireless technologies, particularly focusing on the combination of TSN and Wi-Fi. The discussion will highlight both the opportunities and the key challenges associated with achieving (near-)deterministic performance in wireless environments and outline potential research directions.
Bio: Doğanalp Ergenç is a postdoctoral researcher at Technische Universität Berlin in the Telecommunication Networks Group (TKN). He completed his PhD in 2023 at Universität Hamburg, where he specialized in the resilience of mission-critical systems using IEEE 802.1 Time-Sensitive Networking standards. His current research centers on next-generation resilient and time-sensitive wireless networks. He has worked on several funded research projects in Germany and Turkey and regularly serves as a technical committee member and organizer for conferences such as IEEE RNDM, ICCN, and ICNP. He is also an active member of the IEEE Communications Society (ComSoc)
Next-Generation Mobility: Latency-First Wireless Mesh Networks
Jonathan Oostvogels (KULeuven, Belgium)
Abstract: Current wireless network technologies break down in applications that demand fast mobility and millisecond-scale latency, for example, in the case of closed-loop control algorithms for automated vehicles that avoid collisions or enable fine-grained manoeuvring. Conversely, swarms of drones flying under a forest canopy may spend most of their time unable to communicate, leaving only millisecond windows in which joint decision making must occur. Striving for wireless networks that support millisecond-level mobility and latency, we introduce latency-first network design. This approach focuses on establishing fast rather than reliable software interfaces between wireless network components, fundamentally rethinking what each of those components should try to accomplish. We show how this approach leads to a collection of transceiver prototypes and network protocols that, for the first time, enable sub-millisecond data gathering and decision making in multi-hop mesh networks, while maintaining inherent mobility support. We conclude by presenting practical inroads for this foundational research line, such as its integration with mmWave radar platforms found in a vehicular context.
Bio: Jonathan Oostvogels is postdoctoral researcher at the DistriNet research group of the Department of Computer Science, KU Leuven. In 2024, he obtained his PhD at KU Leuven summa cum laude, and was awarded with a postdoctoral research fellowship by the Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO). He is part-time visiting researcher at Inria Paris, where he is collaborating with the AIO team led by Thomas Watteyne. Jonathan’s research focuses on latency-sensitive embedded systems and wireless mesh networks. He defined and prototyped the wireless symbol-synchronous bus concept, Zero-Wire, which was successfully patented and was selected in 2023 as Research Highlight in Communications of the ACM. Jonathan received the SenSys 2020 Best Paper Award and won the Rising Star award at ACM MobiSys 2023.
The emergence of vehicular networks has revolutionized the transportation sector, promising enhanced safety, efficiency, and connectivity. However, as the deployment of these networks becomes more widespread, it brings forth a myriad of challenges and opportunities in terms of communication protocols. Hence, we propose a workshop focusing on network protocols for vehicles, aimed at fostering collaboration between industrial stakeholders and academic researchers. This workshop will serve as a platform for industrial experts to elucidate the requirements and challenges encountered during the deployment of new standards in vehicular networks. Additionally, the workshop will provide a forum for academic researchers to showcase their latest advancements in the field, offering innovative solutions to address the identified challenges. By facilitating dialogue and knowledge exchange between these two communities, the workshop aims to accelerate the development and adoption of robust and efficient network protocols tailored for vehicular environments.
We welcome submissions of original research, work-in-progress, and proof of concepts describing original ideas and presenting new directions, covering a broad spectrum of topics related to vehicular network protocols, including, but not limited to:
Submissions must be original, unpublished work, and not under consideration at another conference or journal. Paper submissions should adhere to the IEEE Conference formatting requirements with double columns and the font size must be 10 points. The length of the final paper with all its content (including references) must not exceed 6 pages. Papers must include the author’s names and affiliations for single-blind peer reviewing by the PC. Authors of accepted papers are expected to present their papers at the workshop.
Please submit your paper here.
| Time（AOE） | Phase |
|---|---|
| Abstract Submission Deadline | |
| Paper Submission Deadline | |
| August 31, 2024 | Paper Acceptance Notification |
| September 16, 2024 | Camera Ready Deadline |
| October 28, 2024 | ICNP Workshop (@ Belgium) |
Technical Program Committee(TPC):
TPC Chair: Cristel Pelsser (UCLouvain, Belgium)
Preparatory Committee: Cristel Pelsser (UCLouvain), Giancarlo Mannuccia (AISIN), Pierre Meunier (Alstom).
For any questions, please reach us at cristel.pelsser@uclouvain.be.