Bridging the Gap between Micro-scale Traffic Simulation and 4D Digital Cityscapes

TL;DR

This paper introduces a real-time 4D visualization framework that integrates micro-scale traffic simulation with high-fidelity VR and spatial audio for improved stakeholder communication and perception assessment.

Contribution

It presents a novel architecture coupling SUMO traffic data with Unreal Engine 5 for synchronized visualization and auralization, validated through user studies.

Findings

Users accurately interpret safety risks from the 4D simulation.

Spatialized audio influences users' sense of safety.

High perceptual alignment between simulation and perception was achieved.

Abstract

While micro-scale traffic simulations provide essential data for urban planning, they are rarely coupled with the high-fidelity visualization or auralization necessary for effective stakeholder communication. In this work, we present a real-time 4D visualization framework that couples the SUMO traffic with a photorealistic, geospatially accurate VR representation of Zurich in Unreal Engine 5. Our architecture implements a robust C++ data pipeline for synchronized vehicle visualization and features an Open Sound Control (OSC) interface to support external auralization engines. We validate the framework through a user study assessing the correlation between simulated traffic dynamics and human perception. Results demonstrate a high degree of perceptual alignment, where users correctly interpret safety risks from the 4D simulation. Furthermore, our findings indicate that the inclusion of spatialized audio alters the user's sense of safety, showing the importance of multimodality in traffic simulations.