Dynamic traffic simulation to evaluate vehicle navigation systems

This paper presents a macroscopic dynamic traffic simulation model called BOX-MODEL for evaluating information-oriented traffic control measures to reduce urban traffic congestion, for example advanced travelers information systems. This model simulates traffic condition in a large-scale network. Drivers are divided into groups according to patterns of route choice. One group is composed of drivers who get information of dynamic traffic condition and change route on the way to their destination according to the dynamic traffic condition. Another group is composed of drivers who do not get information of dynamic traffic condition but change route on the way to their destination according to dynamic traffic condition to some extent, and yet another group is composed of drivers who always use the same route. The authors examine the performance of the model through simulating traffic flow on an imaginary traffic network. The validity of the model is shown, and the effect of providing drivers information of dynamic traffic condition is estimated