Energy-Efficient and Intelligent ISAC in V2X Networks with Spiking Neural Networks-Driven DRL

Integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) has emerged as a pivotal technology for enabling vehicle-to-everything (V2X) connectivity, mobility, and security. However, designing efficient beamforming schemes to achieve accurate sensing and enhance communication performance in the dynamic and uncertain environments of V2X networks presents significant challenges. While AI technologies offer promising solutions, the energy-intensive nature of neural networks (NNs) imposes substantial burdens on communication infrastructures. This work proposes an energy-efficient and intelligent ISAC system for V2X networks. Specifically, we first leverage a Markov Decision Process framework to model the dynamic and uncertain nature of V2X networks. This framework allows the roadside unit (RSU) to develop beamforming schemes relying solely on its current sensing state information, eliminating the need for numerous pilot signals and extensive channel state information acquisition. To endow the system with intelligence and enhance its performance, we then introduce an advanced deep reinforcement learning (DRL) algorithm based on the Actor-Critic framework with a policy-clipping technique, enabling the joint optimization of beamforming and power allocation strategies to guarantee both communication rate and sensing accuracy. Furthermore, to alleviate the energy demands of NNs, we integrate Spiking Neural Networks (SNNs) into the DRL algorithm. By leveraging discrete spikes and their temporal characteristics for information transmission, SNNs not only significantly reduce the energy consumption of deploying AI model in ISAC-assisted V2X networks but also further enhance algorithm performance. Extensive simulation results validate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme with lower energy consumption, superior communication performance, and improved sensing accuracy.