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The success of traffic simulation depends on the quality of the models, and the real-world data. Both of these areas are seeing improvement, with the models being improved by the increasing computational speed available in computer hardware, improvement in software (i.e. object-oriented) and development; while the data quantity and quality has increased due to sensor technologies (video image processing, loop detectors, GPS, etc.)
The first widely used traffic simulation model was the CORSIM model. This is still available and supported by the FHWA. However, the core components of this model, namely the car following algorithms, have become outdated and there are other models with more efficient and realistic vehicle behavior modeling. VISSIM, Paramics and AIMSUN offer greater detail in modeling and user adjustment to the car following and driver behavior elements.
The FHWA is sponsoring two efforts for traffic modeling toward the next
generationEof traffic simulation models. At the meso-levelE TRANSIMS
uses a Cellular Automata model to represent traffic as segments of a lane
of road space in states of being occupied or not. It has the potential
to develop highly detailed models of activity planning and trip making
behavior, including modeling the effects of latent demand. For the
successor to CORSIM, the FHWA came to a consensus
to move from a developerErole to that of a facilitatorE so that practitioners
can better use traffic models developed in the private sector.
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