IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/transb/v80y2015icp338-354.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

On some experimental features of car-following behavior and how to model them

Author

Listed:
  • Jiang, Rui
  • Hu, Mao-Bin
  • Zhang, H.M.
  • Gao, Zi-You
  • Jia, Bin
  • Wu, Qing-Song

Abstract

We have carried out car-following experiments with a 25-car-platoon on an open road section to study the relation between a car’s speed and its spacing under various traffic conditions, in the hope to resolve a controversy surrounding this fundamental relation of vehicular traffic. In this paper we extend our previous analysis of these experiments, and report new experimental findings. In particular, we reveal that the platoon length (hence the average spacing within a platoon) might be significantly different even if the average velocity of the platoon is essentially the same. The findings further demonstrate that the traffic states span a 2D region in the speed-spacing (or density) plane. The common practice of using a single speed-spacing curve to model vehicular traffic ignores the variability and imprecision of human driving and is therefore inadequate. We have proposed a car-following model based on a mechanism that in certain ranges of speed and spacing, drivers are insensitive to the changes in spacing when the velocity differences between cars are small. It was shown that the model can reproduce the experimental results well.

Suggested Citation

  • Jiang, Rui & Hu, Mao-Bin & Zhang, H.M. & Gao, Zi-You & Jia, Bin & Wu, Qing-Song, 2015. "On some experimental features of car-following behavior and how to model them," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 338-354.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:transb:v:80:y:2015:i:c:p:338-354
    DOI: 10.1016/j.trb.2015.08.003
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0191261515001782
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.trb.2015.08.003?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Denos C. Gazis & Robert Herman & Richard W. Rothery, 1961. "Nonlinear Follow-the-Leader Models of Traffic Flow," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 9(4), pages 545-567, August.
    2. Kim, T. & Zhang, H.M., 2008. "A stochastic wave propagation model," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 42(7-8), pages 619-634, August.
    3. P. Wagner, 2006. "How human drivers control their vehicle," The European Physical Journal B: Condensed Matter and Complex Systems, Springer;EDP Sciences, vol. 52(3), pages 427-431, August.
    4. Robert E. Chandler & Robert Herman & Elliott W. Montroll, 1958. "Traffic Dynamics: Studies in Car Following," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 6(2), pages 165-184, April.
    5. Laval, Jorge A. & Toth, Christopher S. & Zhou, Yi, 2014. "A parsimonious model for the formation of oscillations in car-following models," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 228-238.
    6. Kai Nagel & Peter Wagner & Richard Woesler, 2003. "Still Flowing: Approaches to Traffic Flow and Traffic Jam Modeling," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 51(5), pages 681-710, October.
    7. Zhang, H.M. & Kim, T., 2005. "A car-following theory for multiphase vehicular traffic flow," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 39(5), pages 385-399, June.
    8. Schönhof, Martin & Helbing, Dirk, 2009. "Criticism of three-phase traffic theory," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 43(7), pages 784-797, August.
    9. G. F. Newell, 1961. "Nonlinear Effects in the Dynamics of Car Following," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 9(2), pages 209-229, April.
    10. Gipps, P.G., 1981. "A behavioural car-following model for computer simulation," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 15(2), pages 105-111, April.
    11. P. Wagner, 2011. "A time-discrete harmonic oscillator model of human car-following," The European Physical Journal B: Condensed Matter and Complex Systems, Springer;EDP Sciences, vol. 84(4), pages 713-718, December.
    12. Denos C. Gazis & Robert Herman & Renfrey B. Potts, 1959. "Car-Following Theory of Steady-State Traffic Flow," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 7(4), pages 499-505, August.
    13. Daganzo, C. F. & Cassidy, M. J. & Bertini, R. L., 1999. "Possible explanations of phase transitions in highway traffic," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 33(5), pages 365-379, June.
    14. Li, Xiaopeng & Cui, Jianxun & An, Shi & Parsafard, Mohsen, 2014. "Stop-and-go traffic analysis: Theoretical properties, environmental impacts and oscillation mitigation," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 319-339.
    15. Treiber, Martin & Kesting, Arne & Helbing, Dirk, 2010. "Three-phase traffic theory and two-phase models with a fundamental diagram in the light of empirical stylized facts," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 44(8-9), pages 983-1000, September.
    16. Kerner, Boris S., 2013. "Criticism of generally accepted fundamentals and methodologies of traffic and transportation theory: A brief review," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 392(21), pages 5261-5282.
    17. Wagner, Peter, 2012. "Analyzing fluctuations in car-following," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 46(10), pages 1384-1392.
    18. Robert Herman & Elliott W. Montroll & Renfrey B. Potts & Richard W. Rothery, 1959. "Traffic Dynamics: Analysis of Stability in Car Following," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 7(1), pages 86-106, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Tian, Junfang & Li, Guangyu & Treiber, Martin & Jiang, Rui & Jia, Ning & Ma, Shoufeng, 2016. "Cellular automaton model simulating spatiotemporal patterns, phase transitions and concave growth pattern of oscillations in traffic flow," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 93(PA), pages 560-575.
    2. Tian, Junfang & Treiber, Martin & Ma, Shoufeng & Jia, Bin & Zhang, Wenyi, 2015. "Microscopic driving theory with oscillatory congested states: Model and empirical verification," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 138-157.
    3. Tian, Junfang & Zhu, Chenqiang & Chen, Danjue & Jiang, Rui & Wang, Guanying & Gao, Ziyou, 2021. "Car following behavioral stochasticity analysis and modeling: Perspective from wave travel time," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 160-176.
    4. Cheng, Qixiu & Liu, Zhiyuan & Lin, Yuqian & Zhou, Xuesong (Simon), 2021. "An s-shaped three-parameter (S3) traffic stream model with consistent car following relationship," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 153(C), pages 246-271.
    5. Wang, Xiao & Jiang, Rui & Li, Li & Lin, Yi-Lun & Wang, Fei-Yue, 2019. "Long memory is important: A test study on deep-learning based car-following model," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 514(C), pages 786-795.
    6. Yao, Handong & Li, Qianwen & Li, Xiaopeng, 2020. "A study of relationships in traffic oscillation features based on field experiments," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 339-355.
    7. Cheng, Qixiu & Lin, Yuqian & Zhou, Xuesong (Simon) & Liu, Zhiyuan, 2024. "Analytical formulation for explaining the variations in traffic states: A fundamental diagram modeling perspective with stochastic parameters," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 312(1), pages 182-197.
    8. Tian, Junfang & Jiang, Rui & Jia, Bin & Gao, Ziyou & Ma, Shoufeng, 2016. "Empirical analysis and simulation of the concave growth pattern of traffic oscillations," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 93(PA), pages 338-354.
    9. Rehborn, Hubert & Klenov, Sergey L. & Palmer, Jochen, 2011. "An empirical study of common traffic congestion features based on traffic data measured in the USA, the UK, and Germany," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 390(23), pages 4466-4485.
    10. He, Zhengbing & Zheng, Liang & Guan, Wei, 2015. "A simple nonparametric car-following model driven by field data," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 185-201.
    11. Li, Xiaopeng & Cui, Jianxun & An, Shi & Parsafard, Mohsen, 2014. "Stop-and-go traffic analysis: Theoretical properties, environmental impacts and oscillation mitigation," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 319-339.
    12. Yu Wang & Xiaopeng Li & Junfang Tian & Rui Jiang, 2020. "Stability Analysis of Stochastic Linear Car-Following Models," Transportation Science, INFORMS, vol. 54(1), pages 274-297, January.
    13. Jabari, Saif Eddin & Zheng, Jianfeng & Liu, Henry X., 2014. "A probabilistic stationary speed–density relation based on Newell’s simplified car-following model," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 205-223.
    14. Hongxing Zhao & Ruichun He & Xiaoyan Jia, 2019. "Estimation and Analysis of Vehicle Exhaust Emissions at Signalized Intersections Using a Car-Following Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(14), pages 1-25, July.
    15. Kai Nagel & Peter Wagner & Richard Woesler, 2003. "Still Flowing: Approaches to Traffic Flow and Traffic Jam Modeling," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 51(5), pages 681-710, October.
    16. Sun, Jie & Zheng, Zuduo & Sun, Jian, 2020. "The relationship between car following string instability and traffic oscillations in finite-sized platoons and its use in easing congestion via connected and automated vehicles with IDM based control," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 58-83.
    17. Zhou, Fang & Li, Xiaopeng & Ma, Jiaqi, 2017. "Parsimonious shooting heuristic for trajectory design of connected automated traffic part I: Theoretical analysis with generalized time geography," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 394-420.
    18. Jin, Wen-Long, 2016. "On the equivalence between continuum and car-following models of traffic flow," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 93(PA), pages 543-559.
    19. Zhou, Zhi & Li, Linheng & Qu, Xu & Ran, Bin, 2024. "A self-adaptive IDM car-following strategy considering asymptotic stability and damping characteristics," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 637(C).
    20. Farhi, Nadir, 2024. "Piecewise-linear car-following with heterogeneous agent dynamics: Consensus and emerging collective behaviors," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 649(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:transb:v:80:y:2015:i:c:p:338-354. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/548/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.