The Future Of Devices Peer-To-Peer Communication

Currently, when you are in the city and walking around or driving, you might communicate with others using a head nod, hand wave or extended arm. However, in the future these communications could be done completely virtually and automatically with device peer to peer communication, so you do not have to lift a finger.

Using device peer to peer communication, or P2P, smart cities can create safer traffic patterns, maintain border restrictions, and more. With device peer to peer communication, vehicles can ‘talk’ to each other, reducing the potential of accidents by up to 80 percent according to the U.S. Federal Register.

What is peer to peer communication?

Peer to peer communication, also referred to as P2P or P-to-P, is the transmission of data and communications between two devices/computers. It does require a network for the transmission to connect. Depending on the network connection, P2P can occur almost instantaneously and can transmit hundreds of feet.

Peer to peer communication does necessarily necessitate that the two computers are the same device. For instance, peer to peer communication can take place between two smartphones or between a smartphone and a connected vehicle, or a smartphone and another internet of things device, or any other combination of smart devices that have P2P enabled on the network.

Peer to peer communication is also very scalable, so you can add devices to the network as your usage grows. It’s easy to set up new devices and doesn’t require much configuration. So, new devices can be easily integrated with existing devices to communicate across the network.

Mobile peer to peer communication

Originally, peer to peer communication was designed for traditional computers, mainly for file sharing. But the future of devices peer to peer communication will be mobile. It will involve smart phones and connected smart cities, smart healthcare, smart education, connected vehicles, and more.

P2P Devices

P2P communication can span across any type of device that enables it and is connected to the same network. Devices that could use P2P communication in the future include:

Smart phones
Tablets/ iPads
Connected vehicles
Smart bikes
Traffic lights
Streetlights
Drones
Medical devices
Security cameras

These devices could connect to one another to share data and keep cities safer, more efficient and effective.

Use cases for Peer to peer communication in Smart Cities

There will be a myriad of use cases for peer to peer communication in smart cities. However, the most prominent and the first available use case will be with connected vehicles, smart traffic and smart parking.

Smart Vehicles: Vehicle to Vehicle Communication (V2V)

Image your car alerting you to other vehicles on the road, or potential hazards, but instead of just alerting you it can also automatically turn on the brakes or switch lanes to avoid a collision. Or, if a driver starts to get sleepy and drift into another lane, their vehicle could automatically alert them or steer the car back into the correct lane. Plus, if your vehicle needs to slow down or switch lanes, it could automatically communicate that to vehicles on the road nearby, alerting other drivers of potential danger ahead.

The argument for self-driving cars is that they would be safer than manually driven vehicles, especially considering that 94 percent of all vehicle crashes are due to human error. Automated vehicles that communicate with one another could reduce or eliminate the number of accidents on the road.

The best part is that drivers can customize their alerts. Carmaker Cadillac already has a solution for peer to peer vehicles in the works. However, cars will all need to have it and use it for it to be effective and work altogether. The system will only work if most vehicles on the road have vehicle to vehicle communications enabled. Even the Telsa accident when a self-driving car tragically crashed into a tractor could have been prevented if the two vehicles could have been able to communicate with each other.

However, it’s not too far off until this could become a reality on the road. In the U.S., the Department of Transportation may require all new cars to implement vehicle to vehicle communication by 2023.

Vehicles could also communicate with traffic signals and even the road, or other types of devices like smart bikes, or smart phones to be able to track pedestrians and cyclists. So, peer to peer communication could extend beyond just cars talking to each other and include all of the different people sharing the road for further safety and accident prevention.

Smart Parking

Along with the lines of your vehicle connecting to your phone or another device, peer to peer communication for smart cars could include smart parking and smart unlocking or locking of your vehicle.

Is P2P communication secure?

Peer to peer communication will need to be secured to remain effective. It can be secured through public key cryptography to encrypt and validate data. Privacy and anonymity are possible through P2P communication.

Device sensors and communicators will also have limitations including limited reach in poor weather and limited reach, ranging from a few hundred to a thousand feet. These peer to peer devices will ‘sense’ and ‘see’ similar to humans and can make decisions quickly to prevent injury.

How connected cars and devices ‘talk’ to each other

Connected devices use peer to peer communication through wireless communication. They use Dedicated Short Range Communications (or DSRC) to enable vehicles to exchange information. Data exchanged in vehicle peer to peer communication includes car location, speed, direction, and more. Plus, with DSRC, information can be communicated rapidly, as much as ten times a second!

Vehicle to vehicle communication will reach 1,000 feet in any direction and can even reach through most weather conditions including snow or fog. So, even if a car is further on in front of you, your smart-enabled vehicle could get a warning to slow down. This could prevent car build-ups and keep accidents from reaching further.

Peer to peer communication networks will require nodes that function as clients and services. Building the nodes can be accomplished in a variety of ways. However, with ACiiST, we install small devices on existing light posts to expand the network. Our solution is the most reliable, cost-effective and easy to maintain option on the market. Plus, it is very easy to install and synchronize across the network.

ACiiST Solutions

When building a smart city infrastructure that can support a variety of applications, ACiiST innovated a solution that is easy to implement, cost-effective and can handle all of smart city application needs. Since it is installed on existing light posts, set up is easy, requires no additional infrastructure, and all within a short amount of time compared to other solutions. It also provides power, has a high latency 100 times better compared to a routing-based solution, and is wireless so that it requires less cabling. Plus, we have already started implementing this solution in several smart cities. The future of device peer to peer communication is not far away.

Contact Us for More Information

Peer to peer communication in smart cities is the way to the future and will bring so many benefits to society. However, there are quite a few challenges to bring them to reality. Cities need an infrastructure that can support scalable growth, remain secure, and all at a reasonable timeline and budget. By using existing city infrastructure, ACiiST makes it as simple as possible to implement a smart city system.