AI-driven Cooperative Internet of Vehicles (C-IoV) as a Service

Eligibility: UK/International (including EU) graduates with the required entry requirements

Duration: Full-Time – between three and three and a half years fixed term

Initial Application deadline: 25 May 2025 

Full  Application deadline: 5 June 2025 

Interview date: Will be confirmed to shortlisted candidates

Start date: September 2025

For further details contact:

Professor Soufiene Djahel (Coventry University) or Professor Shanti Chilukuri (GITAM)

Introduction

This fully funded PhD project is part of the Cotutelle arrangement between Coventry University, UK and GITAM (Deemed to be University). Each scholar will receive two doctoral degree, one from GITAM, one from Coventry University.

Research scholars receive stipends and full research infrastructure access from both Universities. 

The PhD student will start at GITAM University, with the supervision team drawn from both universities.

Project details

Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs) are expected to transform smart cities, not only by transporting people and goods but also by sharing their onboard resources to enable innovative applications and create a Cooperative Internet of Vehicles (C-IoV). Indeed, CAVs are equipped with abundant underutilised resources that can be harnessed to deliver a diverse range of innovative services for vehicles, passengers and third-party stakeholders. In-vehicle sensors, communication modules and onboard units allow CAVs to offer data storage, relaying and computing services. To achieve this vision, researchers proposed task offloading approaches, resource management techniques and Digital Twin (DT) enabled solutions, however many challenges remain insufficiently explored such as the sporadic nature of resource availability in CAVs, the diversity of user demands, the multiple resources required to support safety-critical and traffic-efficiency applications, and the impact of C-IoV services on the accuracy of their DT. Therefore, this project will address these challenges by developing novel AI-based accurate resource availability prediction mechanisms, optimal joint resource allocation strategies and efficient inter CAVs spectrum access coordination mechanisms. From an industry standpoint, C-IoV will enable new services and deliver a mobile connected service platform with on demand resource expansion.

Funding

Tuition fees and stipend

Benefits

The successful candidate will receive comprehensive research training including technical, personal and professional skills. All researchers at Coventry University (from PhD to Professor) are part of the Doctoral and Researcher College, which provides support with high-quality training and career development activities.

Candidate specification

Applicants must meet the admission and scholarship criteria for both Coventry University and GITAM for entry to the cotutelle programme.

• Applicants should have a Master’s degree at 55%.
• A minimum of a 2:1 first degree in a relevant discipline/subject area with a minimum 60% mark in the project element or equivalent with a minimum 60% overall module average.
• Language proficiency (IELTS overall minimum score of 7.0 with a minimum of 6.5 in each component).

The potential to engage in innovative research and to complete the PhD within a prescribed period of study.