Analyzing the Efficacy of Clustering-Based Routing Protocols in Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks: A Performance Evaluation

Vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs) have increased substantial attention as an advanced technology to enhance road security and traffic management. Clustering-based routing protocols are developed as a basic module in optimizer communication and resource consumption from the VANETs. Frequent disconnections among the vehicular nodes because of higher-velocity vehicles affect network efficiency. It is addressed by effective clustering methods. Some recent research has tried to establish optimum clustering methods for improving network performance metrics utilizing soft computing processes. However, satisfactory tasks on soft computing methods are executed; it appears less commonplace to determine a study of different methods and network parameters together. This study concentrates on the widespread performance analysis of clustering-based routing protocols to estimate their efficiency in VANET conditions. The research methodology contains an extensive estimation of key clustering-based routing protocols utilizing meta-heuristic approaches. The findings expose the strengths and weaknesses of all the routing protocols in distinct VANET conditions. This research not only offers a deep insight into the comparative outcome of clustering-based routing protocols but also supports choosing the most appropriate protocol that relies on certain VANET utilization goals and conditions. The outcomes contribute to the design and optimizer of VANET communication, fostering developments in road safety, traffic management, and intelligent transportation systems. Furthermore, the study highlights the impact of considering VANET-certain features in the implementation and development of routing protocols for maximizing their benefits in real-world vehicular communication conditions. The comparative outcome highlights the essential of tailoring routing protocols to the unique requirements and problems caused by vehicular communication environments.