Vehicle Ad Hoc Networks (VANETs) have become a viable technology to improve traffic flow and safety on the roads. Due to its effectiveness and scalability, the Wingsuit Search-based Optimised Link State Routing Protocol (WS-OLSR) is frequently used for data distribution in VANETs. However, the selection of MultiPoint Relays (MPRs) plays a pivotal role in WS-OLSR’s performance. This paper presents an improved MPR selection algorithm tailored to WS-OLSR, designed to enhance the overall routing efficiency and reduce overhead. The analysis found that the current OLSR protocol has problems such as redundancy of HELLO and TC message packets or failure to update routing information in time, so a WS-OLSR routing protocol based on improved-MPR selection algorithm was proposed. Firstly, factors such as node mobility and link changes are comprehensively considered to reflect network topology changes, and the broadcast cycle of node HELLO messages is controlled through topology changes. Secondly, a new MPR selection algorithm is proposed, considering link stability issues and nodes. Finally, evaluate its effectiveness in terms of packet delivery ratio, end-to-end delay, and control message overhead. Simulation results demonstrate the superior performance of our improved MR selection algorithm when compared to traditional approaches.
