| Summary: | Designing a Medium Access Control (MAC) protocol for vehicular ad hoc networks is challenging due to high node speeds, topology changes, infrastructure limitations, and varying quality-of-service requirements. To address these, we propose the Enhanced Cluster Multiple Access (ECMA) protocol, supporting multiple access methods and using a modified weighted clustering algorithm for Cluster Head (CH) selection, ensuring even vehicle distribution. A Chain Markov model manages smooth transitions between access mechanisms based on node thresholds, maintaining network stability. Evaluation with four weighting factors, including network throughput, end-to-end delay, and Packet Delivery Ratio, showcases the protocol’s robustness. It outperforms Stable-Based (SB) and Threshold-Based (TB) techniques in various traffic scenarios with fewer modifications. Surprisingly, cluster stability improves by 52% to 61% with more vehicles and extended transmission range, and compared to EWCA and VeMAC protocols, our method excels in data PDR and end-to-end delay enhancement.
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