Towards the bi-directional cellular automaton model with perception ranges

The traditional cellular automaton (CA) model assumes that drivers only receive information from the preceding vehicles, e.g. the brake light information. However, in reality, drivers not only perceive information from downstream but can also get upstream information, e.g. the honk stimulation. The CA model involving traffic information from downstream and upstream is called the bi-directional CA model here. Meanwhile, with the introduction of Connected Vehicle Technologies, the perception range of drivers is expected to significantly increase which can lead to more informed driving behavior. Such an impact cannot be easily modeled by traditional one-directional CA models. In this study, the perception ranges of both the brake light effect and honk stimulation are introduced into the bi-directional CA model. Fundamental diagrams and spatial–temporal diagrams are then analyzed and two methods, i.e. the traffic flow interruption effect and microscopic analysis of time series data, are utilized to distinguish the synchronized traffic flow. Further numerical results illustrate that the perception range and slow-to-start sensitivity threshold are two important factors to reproduce the synchronized flow, and consideration of the honk information and the larger perception range both benefit the stability of traffic flow, which implies the potential significance of the application of Connected Vehicle Technologies.