  The internet-of-things (IoT) environment holds different intelligent
components networked together and will enable seamless data communication
between the connected components. Connected autonomous vehicles or CAVs are
major components of the IoT, and the smooth, reliable, and safe operation of
CAVs demands a reliable wireless communication system, which can ensure high
connectivity, high throughput and low communication latency. The 5G
millimeter-wave or mm-wave communication network offers such benefits, which
can be the enabler of CAVs, especially for dense congested areas. In this
research, we have evaluated the 5G mm-wave and Dedicated Short Range
Communication (DSRC) for different CAV applications in a Network Simulator-3
(ns-3). For the CAV applications, we have evaluated the end-to-end latency,
packet loss, and data rate (for both the CAV receiver and transmitter) of the
5G mm-wave. We have found that 5G mm-wave can support CAV safety applications
by ensuring lower latency compared to the required minimum latency of 200
milliseconds for the forward collision warning application. For mobility
applications, we have found that 5G mm-wave can support multiple CAVs with a
high data receive rate, which is enough for real-time high definition video
streaming for in-vehicle infotainment, with mean packet delay of 13
milliseconds. The findings from this study establish that 5G mm-wave can be the
enabler of future CAVs in congested areas. Using the evaluation framework
developed in this paper, public agencies can evaluate 5G mm-wave to support
CAVs in congested areas, such as heavy pedestrian areas like downtown,
commercial zones, under their jurisdiction.
