Vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) technology has the potential to significantly enhance driver safety. The type, placement, and orientation of V2V antennas all affect the performance of the communication system. Simulation software for high frequency electromagnetics can be used to analyze the far- field effects of various vehicle antenna configurations without the need to perform physical testing.

We present a simulation-based method for optimizing the placement and orientation of a monopole antenna on a vehicle using a Global Response Surface Method (GRSM). The resulting antenna configuration emits a stronger and more uniform far-field pattern while insuring a minimal reflection coefficient. A full-wave method, namely, the Multi-Level Fast Multipole Method (MLFMM), is used to perform the analysis of the antenna mounted atop a vehicle. This process has the potential to improve the performance and reduce the cost and design time of V2V antenna systems.