Abstract
An emerging trend for vehicle transportation is the use of car sharing systems. These change vehicle operations from an autonomous to a dynamic model supporting multiple users and multiple passengers. The authors investigate the network communications and conditions necessary to operate an efficient and cost-effective car sharing fleet system. Further, the authors explored the feasibility and challenges of using Wi-Fi as the communications medium for operating such car sharing systems in metropolitan locations. The preliminary study indicates that Wi-Fi connectivity works well while vehicles are traveling between zero and twenty miles per hour, and is therefore a feasible communication technology in urban areas where vehicles regularly travel at slow speeds and spend time at rest.