PDF
Abstract
In this paper, we carry out a computational study of a novel microscopic follow-the-leader model for traffic flow on road networks. We assume that each driver has his or her own origin and destination, and wants to complete his or her journey in the minimal time. We also assume that each driver is able to take rational decisions at junctions and can change the route while moving depending on the traffic conditions. The main novelty of the model is that vehicles can automatically and anonymously share information about their position, destination, and planned path when they are close to each other within a certain distance. The pieces of information acquired during the journey are used to optimize the route itself. In the limit case of an infinite communication range, we recover the classical Reactive User Equilibrium (RUE) and Dynamic User Equilibrium (DUE).
Keywords
Traffic flow modeling
/
Vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communications
/
Differential games
/
Optimal control problems
/
91A80
/
34H05
/
76A30
/
34B45
/
90B18
/
90C39
Cite this article
Download citation ▾
Emiliano Cristiani, Francesca L. Ignoto.
A Microscopic Traffic Flow Model on Network with Destination-Aware V2V Communications and Rational Decision-Making.
Communications on Applied Mathematics and Computation 1-23 DOI:10.1007/s42967-025-00560-9
| [1] |
Ahmad F, Al-Fagih L. Game theory applications in micro and macroscopic simulations in transportation networks: a comprehensive review. IEEE Access, 2023, 11: 93635-93663.
|
| [2] |
Alabdouli H, Hassan MS, Abdelfatah A. Enhancing route guidance with integrated V2X communication and transportation systems: a review. Smart Cities, 2025, 8: 24.
|
| [3] |
Alobeidyeen A, Yang H, Du L. Information dissemination dynamics through vehicle-to-vehicle communication built upon traffic flow dynamics over roadway networks. Vehicular Communications, 2023, 41. ArticleID: 100598
|
| [4] |
Alsudani M, Öztürk T. Wireless communication between vehicles: exploring the potential of V2V and V2X communication for improved efficiency, safety, and sustainability. Journal of Millimeterwave Communication, Optimization and Modelling, 2023, 3(1): 9-13
|
| [5] |
Ancona F, Bentaibi M, Rossi F. On the continuum limit of the Follow-the-Leader model and its stability. Discrete Contin. Dynam. Systems, 2025, 45(5): 1366-1398.
|
| [6] |
Bagagiolo F, Maggistro R, Pesenti R. Origin-to-destination network flow with path preferences and velocity controls: a mean field game-like approach. Journal of Dynamics and Games, 2021, 8(4): 359-380.
|
| [7] |
Bardi M, Capuzzo-Dolcetta I. Optimal Control and Viscosity Solutions of Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman Equations, 1997. Boston, MA, Birkhäuser.
|
| [8] |
Bazzi, A., Masini, B.M.: Taking advantage of V2V communications for traffic management. In: 2011 IEEE Intelligent Vehicles Symposium (IV), pp. 504–509. IEEE (2011)
|
| [9] |
Belov A, Mattas K, Makridis M, Menendez M, Ciuffo B. A microsimulation based analysis of the price of anarchy in traffic routing: the enhanced Braess network case. Journal of Intelligent Transportation Systems, 2021, 26(4): 448-460.
|
| [10] |
Bretti G, Briani M, Cristiani E. An easy-to-use algorithm for simulating traffic flow on networks: numerical experiments. Discrete Contin. Dyn. Syst. Ser. S, 2014, 7: 379-394.
|
| [11] |
Briani M, Cristiani E. An easy-to-use algorithm for simulating traffic flow on networks: theoretical study. Netw. Heterog. Media, 2014, 9: 519-552.
|
| [12] |
Cacace S, Camilli F, De Maio R, Tosin A. A measure theoretic approach to traffic flow optimisation on networks. Eur. J. Appl. Math., 2019, 30(6): 1187-1209.
|
| [13] |
Camilli F, Carlini E, Marchi C. A model problem for mean field games on networks. Discrete Contin. Dynam. Systems, 2015, 35(9): 4173-4192.
|
| [14] |
Carrillo JA, Martin S, Wolfram M-T. An improved version of the Hughes model for pedestrian flow. Math. Models Methods Appl. Sci., 2016, 26(04): 671-697.
|
| [15] |
Cheng L-C, Wang H. Modeling user equilibrium in microscopic transportation simulation. Journal of the Transportation Research Forum, 2013, 52(2): 85-102
|
| [16] |
Colombo RM, Rossi E. On the micro-macro limit in traffic flow. Rend. Sem. Mat. Univ. Padova, 2014, 131: 217-235.
|
| [17] |
Cristiani E, De Santo A, Menci M. A generalized mean-field game model for the dynamics of pedestrians with limited predictive abilities. Commun. Math. Sci., 2023, 21(1): 65-82.
|
| [18] |
Cristiani E, Priuli FS. A destination-preserving model for simulating Wardrop equilibria in traffic flow on networks. Networks and Heterogeneous Media, 2015, 10(4): 857-876.
|
| [19] |
Cristiani E, Sahu S. On the micro-to-macro limit for first-order traffic flow models on networks. Netw. Heterog. Media, 2016, 11(3): 395-413.
|
| [20] |
Daganzo CF. The cell transmission model: a dynamic representation of highway traffic consistent with the hydrodynamic theory. Transp. Res. Part B, 1994, 28(4): 269-287.
|
| [21] |
de Souza, A.M., Yokoyama, R.S., Maia, G., Loureiro, A.A.F., Villas, L.A.: Minimizing traffic jams in urban centers using vehicular ad hoc networks. In: Proc. of 7th International Conference on New Technologies, Mobility and Security (NTMS). IEEE (2015)
|
| [22] |
Di Francesco M, Rosini MD. Rigorous derivation of nonlinear scalar conservation laws from Follow-the-Leader type models via many particle limit. Arch. Ration. Mech. Anal., 2015, 217: 831-871.
|
| [23] |
Dovetta S, Marconi E, Spinolo LV. New regularity results for scalar conservation laws, and applications to a source-destination model for traffic flows on network. SIAM J. Math. Anal., 2022, 54(3): 3019-3053.
|
| [24] |
Dutta A, Samaniego Campoverde LM, Tropea M, De Rango F. A comprehensive review of recent developments in VANET for traffic, safety & remote monitoring applications. J. Netw. Syst. Manage., 2024, 32: 73.
|
| [25] |
El Zorkany M, Yasser A, Galal AI. Vehicle to vehicle “V2V" communication: scope, importance, challenges, research directions and future. The Open Transportation Journal, 2020, 14: 86-98.
|
| [26] |
Enkelmann, W.: Fleetnet – Applications for inter-vehicle communication. In: Proc. of the IEEE IV2003 Intelligent Vehicles Symposium, pp. 162–167. IEEE (2003)
|
| [27] |
Festa A, Goatin P, Vicini F. Navigation system-based routing strategies in traffic flows on networks. J. Optim. Theory Appl., 2023, 198(3): 930-957.
|
| [28] |
Han K, Eve G, Friesz TL. Computing dynamic user equilibria on large-scale networks with software implementation. Netw. Spat. Econ., 2019, 19: 869-902.
|
| [29] |
Huang K, Chen X, Di X, Du Q. Dynamic driving and routing games for autonomous vehicles onnetworks: a mean field game approach. Transp. Res. Part C, 2021, 128. ArticleID: 103189
|
| [30] |
Huang K, Di X, Du Q, Chen X. A game-theoretic framework for autonomous vehicles velocity control: bridging microscopic differential games and macroscopic mean field games. Discrete and Continuous Dynamical Systems Series B, 2020, 25(12): 4869-4903.
|
| [31] |
Huang L, Wong SC, Zhang M, Shu C-W, Lam WHK. Revisiting Hughes’ dynamic continuum model for pedestrian flow and the development of an efficient solution algorithm. Transp. Res. Part B, 2009, 43(1): 127-141.
|
| [32] |
Hughes RL. A continuum theory for the flow of pedestrians. Transp. Res. Part B, 2002, 36(6): 507-535.
|
| [33] |
Kim YH, Peeta S, He X. Modeling the information flow propagation wave under vehicle-to-vehicle communications. Transp. Res. Part C, 2017, 85: 377-395.
|
| [34] |
Lakas, A., Cheqfah, M.: Detection and dissipation of road traffic congestion using vehicular communication. In: Proc. of 2009 Mediterrannean Microwave Symposium (MMS), pp. 1–6. IEEE (2009)
|
| [35] |
Lighthill, M.J., Whitham, G.B.: On kinematic waves II. A theory of traffic flow on long crowded roads. Proc. R. Soc. Lond. Ser. A 229, 317–345 (1955)
|
| [36] |
Mo Z, Chen X, Di X, Iacomini E, Segala C, Herty M, Lauriere M. A game-theoretic framework for generic second-order traffic flow models using mean field games and adversarial inverse reinforcement learning. Transp. Sci., 2024, 58(6): 1403-1426.
|
| [37] |
Morandi, V.: Bridging the user equilibrium and the system optimum in static traffic assignment: a review. 4OR 22(1), 89–119 (2024)
|
| [38] |
Ohara, K., Nojima, Y., Ishibuchi, H.: A study on traffic information sharing through inter-vehicle communication. In: Proc. of 22nd IEEE International Symposium on Intelligent Control, pp. 670–675. IEEE (2007)
|
| [39] |
Pan, J., Khan, M.A., Popa, I.S., Zeitouni, K., Borcea, C.: Proactive vehicle re-routing strategies for congestion avoidance. In: Proc. of 2012 IEEE 8th International Conference on Distributed Computing in Sensor Systems, pp. 265–272. IEEE (2012)
|
| [40] |
Peeta S, Mahmassani HS. System optimal and user equilibrium time-dependent traffic assignment in congested networks. Ann. Oper. Res., 1995, 60: 81-113.
|
| [41] |
Richards PI. Shock waves on the highway. Oper. Res., 1956, 4: 42-51.
|
| [42] |
Samaranayake S, Krichene W, Reilly J, Delle Monache ML, Goatin P, Bayen A. Discrete-time system optimal dynamic traffic assignment (SO-DTA) with partial control for physical queuing networks. Transp. Sci., 2018, 52(4): 982-1001.
|
| [43] |
Siri, E., Goatin, P.: Assessing the impact of non-compliant users response to system-optimal dynamic traffic assignment. In: Proc. of 62nd IEEE Conference on Decision and Control (CDC), pp. 7785–7790. IEEE (2023)
|
| [44] |
Ullah N, Khan SU, Niazi M, Esposito M, Khan AA, Nasir JA. Solutions to cybersecurity challenges in secure vehicle-to-vehicle communications: a multivocal literature review. Inf. Softw. Technol., 2025, 179. ArticleID: 107639
|
| [45] |
Won, M.: A review on V2V communication for traffic jam management. In: Hu. F. (ed) Vehicle-to-Vehicle and Vehicle-to-Infrastructure Communications. A Technical Approach, Chapter 1, pp. 3–14. CRC Press, United Kingdom (2018)
|
| [46] |
Xu, F., Guo, S., Jeong, J., Gu, Y., Cao, Q., Liu, M., He, T.: Utilizing shared vehicle trajectories for data forwarding in vehicular networks. In: 2011 Proceedings IEEE INFOCOM, pp. 441–445. IEEE (2011)
|
| [47] |
Zardosht B, Beauchemin SS, Bauer MA. A predictive accident-duration based decision-making module for rerouting in environments with V2V communication. Journal of Traffic and Transportation Engineering, 2017, 4(6): 535-544
|
Funding
Ministero dell’Istruzione, dell’Università e della Ricerca(2022XJ9SX)
European Commission(PNRR M4-C2-I1.4 CN MOST 23)
Istituto Nazionale di Alta Matematica “Francesco Severi”(E3C23001670001)
RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS
The Author(s)