The effects of overtaking strategy in the Nagel-Schreckenberg model

Based on the Nagel-Schreckenberg (NS) model with periodic boundary conditions, we proposed the NSOS model by adding the overtaking strategy (OS). In our model, overtaking vehicles are randomly selected with probability $q$ at each time step, and the successful overtaking is determined by their velocities. We observed that (i) traffic jams still occur in the NSOS model; (ii) OS increases the traffic flow in the regime where the densities exceed the maximum flow density. We also studied the phase transition (from free flow phase to jammed phase) of the NSOS model by analyzing the overtaking success rate, order parameter, relaxation time and correlation function, respectively. It was shown that the NSOS model differs from the NS model mainly in the jammed regime, and the influence of OS on the transition density is dominated by the braking probability $p$Comment: 9 pages, 20 figures, to be published in The European Physical Journal B (EPJB

Cellular Automata Applications in Shortest Path Problem

Cellular Automata (CAs) are computational models that can capture the essential features of systems in which global behavior emerges from the collective effect of simple components, which interact locally. During the last decades, CAs have been extensively used for mimicking several natural processes and systems to find fine solutions in many complex hard to solve computer science and engineering problems. Among them, the shortest path problem is one of the most pronounced and highly studied problems that scientists have been trying to tackle by using a plethora of methodologies and even unconventional approaches. The proposed solutions are mainly justified by their ability to provide a correct solution in a better time complexity than the renowned Dijkstra's algorithm. Although there is a wide variety regarding the algorithmic complexity of the algorithms suggested, spanning from simplistic graph traversal algorithms to complex nature inspired and bio-mimicking algorithms, in this chapter we focus on the successful application of CAs to shortest path problem as found in various diverse disciplines like computer science, swarm robotics, computer networks, decision science and biomimicking of biological organisms' behaviour. In particular, an introduction on the first CA-based algorithm tackling the shortest path problem is provided in detail. After the short presentation of shortest path algorithms arriving from the relaxization of the CAs principles, the application of the CA-based shortest path definition on the coordinated motion of swarm robotics is also introduced. Moreover, the CA based application of shortest path finding in computer networks is presented in brief. Finally, a CA that models exactly the behavior of a biological organism, namely the Physarum's behavior, finding the minimum-length path between two points in a labyrinth is given.Comment: To appear in the book: Adamatzky, A (Ed.) Shortest path solvers. From software to wetware. Springer, 201

Discrete stochastic models for traffic flow

We investigate a probabilistic cellular automaton model which has been introduced recently. This model describes single-lane traffic flow on a ring and generalizes the asymmetric exclusion process models. We study the equilibrium properties and calculate the so-called fundamental diagrams (flow vs.\ density) for parallel dynamics. This is done numerically by computer simulations of the model and by means of an improved mean-field approximation which takes into account short-range correlations. For cars with maximum velocity 1 the simplest non-trivial approximation gives the exact result. For higher velocities the analytical results, obtained by iterated application of the approximation scheme, are in excellent agreement with the numerical simulations.Comment: Revtex, 30 pages, full postscript version (including figures) available by anonymous ftp from "fileserv1.mi.uni-koeln.de" in the directory "pub/incoming/" paper accepted for publication in Phys.Rev.

A stochastic cellular automaton model for traffic flow with multiple metastable states

A new stochastic cellular automaton (CA) model of traffic flow, which includes slow-to-start effects and a driver's perspective, is proposed by extending the Burgers CA and the Nagel-Schreckenberg CA model. The flow-density relation of this model shows multiple metastable branches near the transition density from free to congested traffic, which form a wide scattering area in the fundamental diagram. The stability of these branches and their velocity distributions are explicitly studied by numerical simulations.Comment: 11 pages, 20 figures, submitted for publicatio

Exact stationary state for a deterministic high speed traffic model with open boundaries

An exact solution for a high speed deterministic traffic model with open boundaries and synchronous update rule is presented. Because of the strong correlations in the model, the qualitative structure of the stationary state can be described for general values of the maximum speed. It is shown in the case of $v_{\rm max}=2$ that a detailed analysis of this structure leads to an exact solution. Explicit expressions for the stationary state probabilities are given in terms of products of $24\times 24$ matrices. From this solution an exact expression for the correlation length is derived.Comment: 20 pages, LaTeX, typos corrected and references adde