1/<i>f</i>noise in a two-lane highway traffic model

Abstract

A cellular automaton model of traffic current on a two-lane highway is proposed. Clustering and hopping mechanisms are introduced into the interactions between individual cars by the traffic rules. The power spectrum of the traffic current may show good 1/f behavior in certain parameter regions. The 1/f noise is the result of many-body interactions of clustering and hopping. It is found that a state with 1/f noise has a remarkable advantage allowing effective transporting.