## 1 Introduction  
Current endeavors in the realm of connected and autonomous vehicles revolve around autonomous driving and futuristic intelligent transportation systems. These objectives are underpinned by a multifaceted agenda, including the prevention of vehicular collisions, the expedited dissemination of alerts and notifications, the reduction in traffic congestion, and the optimization of road-based services to improve automotive safety and law enforcement [1]. According to the United States National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), motor vehicle traffic crashes account for an annual tally of around 34,000 fatalities and 4 million injuries [2], while simultaneously inflicting an economic toll exceeding USD 836 billion each year [3]. Furthermore, it is crucial to acknowledge that individuals fatally affected by traffic accidents represent more than statistical data or economic burdens, as their absence creates a significant societal impact. In this paper, we want to investigate the performance of connected vehicle communication using open-source simulators and the latest communication standards under different network settings. Connected and autonomous vehicle (CAV) technologies possess the capacity to substantially diminish the incidence of human fatalities and associated economic costs. A connected vehicle, at regular intervals, transmits safety messages, often referred to as \"heartbeat messages,\" such as the Cooperative Awareness Message (CAM) [4] or the Basic Safety Message (BSM) [3]. These messages convey real-time operational data about the vehicle, including information on its position, velocity, orientation, acceleration, deceleration, and more. A vehicle with onboard devices relying on the global navigation satellite system (GNSS), such as a GPS, transmits and receives safety messages. Upon reception of these safety messages from adjacent vehicles, and utilizing a cooperative vehicle safety system application [5], a vehicle can generate a neighborhood map and instructions or guidelines for safe maneuvering. According to estimates by the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT), approximately 82% of accidents involving unimpaired drivers can be mitigated through the successful implementation of connected vehicle (CV) technology [6]. Endowing vehicles with automated control features like emergency braking and pre-emptive warnings facilitated through connectivity significantly reduces the potential for human errors. Additionally, autonomous vehicles offer various other benefits, including the potential for improved air quality due to reduced traffic congestion and lower emissions. Furthermore, autonomous cars are poised to enhance fuel consumption efficiency and boost overall productivity, ultimately saving countless unproductive hours that drivers currently spend stuck in traffic each year [3]. The IEEE 802.11p standard [7], based on dedicated short-range communication (DSRC) technology, has historically been the go-to choice for on-road communication. A more recent standard, 802.11 bd [8], has also gained attention in this context. Many countries have invested substantially in test-bed deployment and platform development for DSRC. However, recent research findings have brought to light some significant shortcomings of DSRC technology, including issues like low reliability, frequent collisions, hidden node problems, uncontrolled delays, and intermittent vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) connectivity [9]. Recognizing these limitations, and with the rapid global expansion and commercialization of long-term evolution (LTE), there has been a shift in focus toward exploring LTE-5G as a potential wireless access technology for supporting vehicular applications. This transition is exemplified by the 5G Automotive Association (5 GAA), which has become a Market Representation Partner (MRP) within the Third Generation Partnership Project (3 GPP) framework [10].