Page 56 - CEGE Research and Contributions

52
Mixed traffic flow: human-driven and automated vehicles
The dynamics of traffic flow depend
on the behavior of vehicles within the flow. Individual drivers’ behavior can influence emergent properties such
as the development of traffic waves. However, automated vehicles drive differently than human drivers, which can change the dynamics of the traffic flow. If properly controlled, just a small number of automated vehicles in a predominately human-driven traffic flow may be able to smooth traffic waves, and thus reduce fuel consumption of
all vehicles in the flow. Yet even before vehicles become fully automated,
partial automation, such as adaptive cruise control (ACC), is already changing traffic dynamics. ACC vehicles can reduce or increase roadway capacity by changing vehicle reaction time, spacing, and control logic. The science of traffic dynamics
with mixed human-driven and automated vehicles is a crucial step in leveraging technology to design safer and more efficient roadways. [103,104]