Simulation Framework for the Autobahn Traffic in North Rhine-Westphalia - Cellular Automata - page 315

Simulation Framework for the Autobahn Tra c
in North Rhine-Westphalia

Sigur ð ur F. Marinosson 1 , Roland Chrobok 1 ,
Andreas Pottmeier 1 , Joachim Wahle 2 , and Michael Schreckenberg 1

1

Gerhard-Mercator-University Duisburg, Physics of Transport and Tra c,
Lotharstr.1, 47048 Duisburg, Germany,
[marinosson,chrobok,pottmeier]@traffic.uni-duisburg.de ,
[e-mail] ,
http://www.traffic.uni-duisburg.de

2

TraffGo GmbH, Grabenstr.132, 47057 Duisburg, Germany, [e-mail] ,
http://www.traffgo.com

Abstract. In the last decade there has been a continuous progress in
the development of cellular automata models of vehicular tra c.The
most recent models are able to reproduce free flow, spontaneous jam
formation, synchronized tra c, as well as meta-stability.However, these
models have been developed and tested on topologically simple road
networks and the translation to large and topologically complex real road
networks is non-trivial.In this paper we describe the cellular automaton
model we use to simulate the tra c on the autobahn network in North
Rhine-Westphalia and discuss some of the challenges that arise when
using this model on such a huge and topologically complex network.

1 Introduction

E cient vehicular transport of persons and goods is of vital importance to any
modern society. In densely populated areas the capacity of the road network is
often to its limits and frequent tra c jams cause a significant economic dam-
age. Moreover, in these areas, it is usually hardly possible or socially untenable
to build more roads. An intelligent use of the resource 'tra c infrastructure'
is therefore economically crucial. The German state North Rhine-Westphalia
(NRW) is an example of such a densely populated area where the capacity of
the road network is not able to satisfy the tra c demand during the rush-hours.
Every day there are tra c jams on the autobahns in the Rhine-Ruhr region
(Dortmund, Duisburg, Dusseldorf, Essen, etc.) and in the area around Cologne
and Leverkusen. To make things even worse, the tra c demand is still growing.
For this reason, new information systems and tra c management concepts are
clearly needed.
Data regarding the tra c state on the autobahns in NRW are mainly pro-
vided through more than 3,500 loop detectors and infrared or video detection
devices. These devices are locally installed and deliver measured data to cen-
tral servers minute by minute. The measured quantities include the number of