# Vehicle as a Service (VaaS): Leverage Vehicles to Build Service Networks and Capabilities for Smart Cities

**Authors:** Xianhao Chen, Yiqin Deng, Haichuan Ding, Guanqiao Qu, Haixia Zhang, Pan Li, Yuguang Fang  
**arXiv:** [2304.11397](https://arxiv.org/abs/2304.11397)  
**Date:** 2023-04-22  
**Summary page:** https://www.summarizepaper.com/en/paper/2304.11397v1/

## Key points

- The concept of smart cities requires the integration of various technologies, including immersive sensing, ubiquitous communications, powerful computing, large storage, and high intelligence (SCCSI).
- SCCSI resources are necessary to support applications such as public safety, connected and autonomous driving, smart and connected health, and smart living.
- Autonomous vehicles with advanced SCCSI capabilities are anticipated to become prevalent in future smart cities.
- The Vehicle as a Service (VaaS) paradigm is proposed as a cost-effective service network where vehicles equipped with SCCSI capabilities serve as mobile servers and communicators.
- Potential use cases for VaaS in smart cities are explored.
- Upgrades from traditional vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs) are discussed to implement the VaaS paradigm.
- The system architecture of VaaS is introduced to effectively deliver SCCSI services in future smart cities.
- Open problems and future research directions related to architectural design, service provisioning, incentive design, security, and privacy within the VaaS paradigm are identified.
- This paper presents an economically effective and sustainable approach for building smart cities by leveraging vehicles as a service network.

## Summary

The concept of smart cities requires the integration of various technologies, including immersive sensing, ubiquitous communications, powerful computing, large storage, and high intelligence (SCCSI). These resources are necessary to support a wide range of applications such as public safety, connected and autonomous driving, smart and connected health, and smart living. Additionally, it is anticipated that autonomous vehicles with advanced SCCSI capabilities will become prevalent in future smart cities. Recognizing the convergence of these two trends, this article proposes a cost-effective service network called the Vehicle as a Service (VaaS) paradigm. In this paradigm, vehicles equipped with SCCSI capabilities serve as mobile servers and communicators to provide SCCSI services in smart cities. The authors explore potential use cases for VaaS in smart cities and discuss the necessary upgrades from traditional vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs) to implement this paradigm. The system architecture of VaaS is introduced which highlights how it can effectively deliver SCCSI services in future smart cities. The authors also identify open problems and future research directions related to architectural design, service provisioning, incentive design, security and privacy within the VaaS paradigm. Overall, this paper presents an economically effective and sustainable approach for building smart cities by leveraging vehicles as a service network which provides valuable insights into the integration of SCCSI capabilities into autonomous vehicles to support various applications in smart city environments.