Mobile data dynamic grouping for connected vehicle and in-vehicle networking

An apparatus, comprising:

• one or more network interfaces to communicate with a network;
• a processor coupled to the network interfaces and configured to execute one or more processes;
• and
• a memory configured to store a process executable by the processor, the process when executed operable to:
• make a determination that a first plurality of vehicles is a convoy of vehicles traveling as a group;
• send a group identifier that is indicative of the convoy and of each of the plurality of vehicles to an access point in communication with a first vehicle;
• authenticate the first vehicle with the access point using the group identifier;
• exchange first vehicular data with the access point using a first connection of a plurality of connections assigned to the group identifier;
• and
• send, in response to identifying communication degradation interrupting an exchange of data between the first vehicle and the access point, a relay request to the access point, wherein the relay request is indicative of request for relayed vehicular data to complete the exchange of data.

A tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing program instructions that cause a device in a network to execute a process comprising:

• making, by a first vehicle of a first plurality of vehicles, a determination that the first plurality of vehicles is a convoy of vehicles traveling as a group;
• sending, by the first vehicle, a group identifier that is indicative of the convoy and of each of the plurality of vehicles to an access point in communication with the first vehicle;
• authenticating, by the first vehicle, with the access point using the group identifier;
• exchanging, by the first vehicle, first vehicular data with the access point using a first connection of a plurality of connections assigned to the group identifier;
• and
• sending, by the first vehicle and in response to identifying communication degradation interrupting an exchange of data between the first vehicle and the access point, a relay request to the access point, wherein the relay request is indicative of request for relayed vehicular data to complete the exchange of data.