Kinetic Theory of Vehicular Traffic

TLDR

Statistical physics analogies have been used to develop a viable theory of traffic flow. The study examines multiple‑lane traffic flow and develops a theory aimed at reconciling theoretical concepts with experimental observations. A kinetic equation is derived to predict traffic flow characteristics at arbitrary density based on driver behavior in dilute, noninteracting traffic, describing the space‑time evolution of the cars’ velocity distribution. Author: /AUTHOR/.

Abstract

THE THEORY OF MULTIPLE-LANE TRAFFIC FLOW IS EXAMINED. A PREDICTION OF THE CHARACTER OF THE TRAFFIC FLOW IS MADE AT ARBITARY DENSITY IN TERMS OF DRIVER BEHAVIOR IN DILUTE, NONINTERACTING TRAFFIC, AND A KINETIC EQUATION IS DERIVED TO DESCRIBE THE SPACE-TIME EVOLUTION OF THE VELOCITY DISTRIBUTION OF CARS. THE ANALOGIES THAT EXIST BETWEEN STATISTICAL PHYSICS AND TRAFFIC HAVE BEEN EMPLOYED IN DEVELOPING A VIABLE THEORY. THE PROBLEM IS FORMULATED AND THE THEORY IS DEVELOPED TO A POINT WHERE THE MEETING OF THEORETICAL CONCEPTS WITH EXPERIMENTAL OBSERVATIONS WILL BE FRUITFUL. /AUTHOR/