Investigating model and impacts of lane-changing execution process based on CA model

Lane changing is one of the basic driving behaviors and consists of lane-changing decision-making process and lane-changing execution process. However, most existing traffic simulation models focus on lane-changing decision-making process and assume that drivers complete their lane-changing behaviors instantaneously. Then these models may not reproduce the actual traffic phenomenon. Furthermore, there are several failed lane-changing behaviors, referring to that drivers may go back to the original lane during lane-changing process. And the impacts of these behaviors have not been investigated up to now. In order to characterize the lateral movement process and to investigate its impacts on traffic flow, this study puts forward a symmetric two-lane cellular automaton model with lane-changing execution (STCA-LE model). In this model, the lateral movement rules of lane changing vehicles are formulated and introduced. The results of numerical simulation indicate that there is a positive relationship between the lane-changing duration and traffic density that is consistent with observation data analysis. Based on this model, the lane-changing trajectories and impacts of lane-changing process are investigated by introducing the critical lane-changing duration. The results of this study could be taken as an important reference to the development of traffic measures and the designation of intelligent vehicles.