Two-lane traffic-flow model with an exact steady-state solution

TL;DR

This paper introduces an exactly solvable two-lane traffic flow model using a stochastic cellular automaton based on the misanthrope process, incorporating lane preferences and priorities, and validates it with observational data.

Contribution

The paper presents a novel two-lane traffic model with an exact steady-state solution and parameters for lane preference and priority, enhancing understanding of asymmetric flow dynamics.

Findings

Exact flow-density diagram derived from the model

Model accurately fits observational traffic data

Lane preferences influence flow asymmetry

Abstract

We propose a stochastic cellular-automaton model for two-lane traffic flow based on the misanthrope process in one dimension. The misanthrope process is a stochastic process allowing for an exact steady-state solution; hence we have an exact flow-density diagram for two lane traffic. In addition, we introduce two parameters that indicate respectively driver's driving-lane preference and passing-lane priority. Due to the additional parameters, the model shows a deviation of the density ratio for driving-lane use and a biased lane-efficiency in flow. Then, a mean-field approach explicitly describes the asymmetric flow by the hop rates, the driving-lane preference, and the passing-lane priority. Meanwhile, the simulation results are in good agreement with an observational data, and we thus estimate these parameters. We conclude that the proposed model successfully produces two-lane traffic flow particularly with the driving-lane preference and the passing-lane priority.