Impact of stakeholder cooperation for centralized route guidance and full automated vehicle compliance

Abstract

Route guidance in traffic management aims to improve traffic network performance aligned with a system optimum. However, service providers commonly offer user optimum travel advice that can negatively impact centralized route guidance. This paper quantifies and demonstrates the impact of different policy strategies for a centralized route guidance systems where road authorities and service providers work together in a coordinated approach. Cooperation through an intermediary is considered with various policy strategies that consider different approaches and levels of cooperation between road authorities and service providers, which are evaluated using traffic modelling. A use case for the ring network of Milan shows that cooperation between the two parties has the potential to get the best out of the measure by utilizing a system optimum approach, while still allowing service providers to offer individual travel advice. The results of the modelled case study clearly show that the two approaches of far-reaching cooperation and increased compliance have a greater positive effect on traffic network performance in terms of reduced delays, reduced congestion and total time spent. In addition, the future presence of connected automated vehicles (CAV) is also considered in which these vehicle demonstrate full compliance. This shows that with increasing percentage of CAVs that route guidance can have a substantial positive effect compared to low compliance or a smaller penetration rate of automated vehicles.