An urban traffic extension of a freeway driver model for use in the OpenTraffic® open source traffic simulation

Abstract

This paper presents an extension of a microscopic freeway driver model for urban traffic. As urban traffic is more complex than freeway traffic, and because scientific models require extensive development, scientific models are often limited to freeways. For urban studies commercial software is often used. Models describing the behaviour in commercial software are only known to researchers into a limited extent, making them unsuitable for driver behaviour studies. Commercial software is therefore often used for studies on traffic control or safety. This paper fills some of the gap for urban driver behaviour models. Adaptations to the freeway model include an additional lane change incentive regarding intersections and an increased willingness to accelerate. New sub-models are presented for traffic lights and priority conflict. The latter includes courtesy yielding, yielding for priority traffic and keeping conflicts clear. If these models are combined with models for other modes such as public transport, cyclists and pedestrians and with realistic traffic light controllers, driver behaviour in urban traffic becomes an accessible subject for simulation research.