Empirical Slow-to-Start Behavior from NGSIM Trajectory Data

The slow-to-start rule is usually adopted in cellular automaton traffic flow model. And it is deemed as the mechanism for metastable states and hysteresis effect. In this paper, we explore the slow-to-start behavior by analyzing the vehicle trajectory data provided by the Next Generation Simulation program. Then the slow-to-start rule is verified in several cellular automaton traffic flow models. The results show that the acceleration rate will increases as the speed increasing. The starting up gap does not change while the acceleration rate increases as the stop time becomes larger. The slow-to start behavior really exist, and the slow-to-start rule in VDR model is realistic. But the slow-to-start rule in MCD model is not consistent with empirical results.