Consensus at Competitive Equilibrium: Dynamic Flow of Autonomous Cars in Traffic Networks

TL;DR

This paper models traffic flow in networks as a competitive equilibrium, showing that drivers' route choices based on traffic densities lead to an even distribution of traffic, using economic equilibrium concepts.

Contribution

It introduces a novel application of economic equilibrium models to analyze dynamic traffic flow and driver decision-making in networks.

Findings

Drivers' route choices lead to traffic density consensus.

Traffic densities tend to evenly distribute across routes.

Economic models can predict traffic flow equilibrium.

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to initiate a qualitative analysis of dynamic flow in traffic networks by using the competitive equilibrium model of multiple market systems. A network is modeled as a dynamic graph where routes (edges) are viewed by drivers (agents) as gross substitute commodities which they choose by considering the traffic densities as prices of the individual routes. By borrowing from economic equilibrium models the notions of gross substitution and homogeneity of excess demand functions, we will be able to show that the chosen decision rule of the drivers will lead to a consensus resulting in an even distribution of traffic density over all routes of the network.