This brief presents a unified analytical framework for the evaluation of
drive-thru Internet performance and accordingly proposes an optimal
spatial access control management approach. A comprehensive overview and
in-depth discussion of the research literature is included. It
summarizes the main concepts and methods, and highlights future research
directions. The brief also introduces a novel cooperative vehicular
communication framework together with a delicate linear cluster
formation scheme and low-delay content forwarding approach to provide a
flexible and efficient vehicular content distribution in the drive-thru
Internet. The presented medium access control and vehicular content
distribution related research results in this brief provide useful
insights for the design approach of Wi-Fi enabled vehicular
communications and it motivates a new line of thinking for the
performance enhancements of future vehicular networking. Advanced-level
students, researchers and professionals interested in vehicular networks
or coordinated network sharing will find Cooperative Vehicular
Communications in the Drive-thru Internet a valuable reference.