Microsimulations of Freeway Traffic Including Control Measures

TL;DR

This paper uses microscopic traffic simulations to evaluate the impact of control measures like speed limits, on-ramp controls, and driver-assistance systems on freeway congestion, demonstrating significant congestion reduction.

Contribution

It introduces a microscopic traffic model to analyze the effects of various control measures on congestion, including vehicle-based driver-assistance systems.

Findings

Speed limits and on-ramp controls reduce congestion severity.

Driver-assistance systems with 20% vehicle adoption nearly eliminate congestion.

Simulations are based on a section of the German Autobahn A8-East.

Abstract

Using a recently developed microscopic traffic model, we simulate how speed limits, on-ramp controls, and vehicle-based driver-assistance systems influence freeway traffic. We present results for a section of the German Autobahn A8-East. Both, a speed limit and an on-ramp control could considerably reduce the severeness of the originally observed and simulated congestion. Introducing 20% vehicles equipped with driver-assistance systems eliminated the congestion almost completely