A modular approach for exchangeable driving task models in a microscopic simulation framework

Abstract

We present a structure for driver models regarding different driving tasks in microscopic simulation. This structure is part of an open and extendable simulation framework which facilitates development and research into ITS applications and driver behavior. The structure deals with typical difficulties of providing a high level of flexibility while allowing a high level of overview and user-friendliness. For driver behavior this is not a trivial task as different driving tasks depend on each other and as one requires a consistent driver, e.g. an aggressive driver is usually aggressive regarding all aspects of driving. This results in a high degree of interaction and dependency of driver models where we would like to segregate as much as possible in order to make them individually exchangeable. Our model structure allows a number of ways in which models may interact with varying degrees of generality. Inevitably this leads to concessions where we favor flexibility over user-friendliness. Specifically, the structure does not force appropriate use of model interactions. Appropriate use is thus up to the user.