A Progressive Deployment Strategy for Cooperative Adaptive Cruise Control to Improve Traffic Dynamics

Abstract

Cooperative adaptive cruise control (CACC) vehicles are intelligent vehicles that use vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs) to share traffic information in real time. Previous studies have shown that CACC could have an impact on increasing highway capacities at high market penetration. Since reaching a high CACC market penetration level is not occurring in the near future, this study presents a progressive deployment approach that demonstrates to have a great potential of reducing traffic congestions at low CACC penetration levels. Using a previously developed microscopic traffic simulation model of a freeway with an on-ramp -created to induce perturbations and trigger stop-and-go traffic, the CACC system s effect on the traffic performance is studied. The results show significance and indicate the potential of CACC systems to improve traffic characteristics which can be used to reduce traffic congestion. The study shows that the impact of CACC is positive and not only limited to a high market penetration. By giving CACC vehicles priority access to high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes, the highway capacity could be significantly improved with a CACC penetration as low as 20%.

Simulating deployment of connectivity and automation on the Antwerp ring road

“…In order to model the behaviour of AVs and CAVs in microsimulation frameworks, various models with vastly different results have been presented on various studies mentioned in the state-of-the-art section [3,[6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15]. It has been assumed that the AVs and CAVs cruising behaviour can be simulated using models developed to describe ACC and CACC cruising controllers.…”

Characterisation of the impacts of autonomous driving on highway capacity in a mixed traffic environment: an agent‐based approach

“…The system resulted in an increased lane capacity of the highway from 2200 to 4000 vphpl at 100% CV MP level. Further, the authors in [33, 34] explored the effect of CV technologies, in the form of CACC, on a multi‐lane freeway. Results showed that CVs positively impacted traffic capacity [33] and traffic flow dynamics [34], especially in high traffic densities.…”

“…Further, the authors in [33, 34] explored the effect of CV technologies, in the form of CACC, on a multi‐lane freeway. Results showed that CVs positively impacted traffic capacity [33] and traffic flow dynamics [34], especially in high traffic densities. In general, results showed the ability of V2V communication to improve traffic performance and reduce traffic congestion.…”

Simulation Framework for Cooperative Adaptive Cruise Control with Empirical DSRC Module

“…Lee et al [2] evaluated the mobility and safety impact of CACC using Vissim with an active platooning algorithm. Arnaout and Bowling [3] evaluated three different deployment strategies for CACC with a custom simulation testbed. The benefits of CACC start to show when the market penetration rate (MPR) reaches 40% in the absence of any managed lane strategies.…”