One of the goals of CoEXist is to make simulation software – both microscopic & macroscopic – “automation-ready”. CoEXist partners worked hard and the modelling tools are now available!
VEDECOM, Renault, TASS International, University of Stuttgart and PTV Group worked towards this goal, supported by the Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute, the city of Helmond and the University of Florence. Overall, it took eighteen months to reach this important milestone in the project and pave the way to AV-modelling.
Automation-ready modelling – how does it work?
The following steps were undertaken to achieve this milestone:
- Co-simulations were run thanks to a connection between the control logic of VEDECOM, the software PreScan from TASS International and the microscopic simulation software Vissim.
- Field data were collected on the test track in Helmond, where TASS International organised a 3-day data collection session in a real-traffic environment.
- The data and the car-following behaviour of the automated vehicles were analysed. Based on these results, new features were released in Vissim 11 and the recommended values published. Furthermore, the results were used to develop scripts for macroscopic modelling.
The simulation of automated vehicles with the microscopic software PTV Vissim has been improved: thanks to the drivermodel dll interface or the API driving simulator interface, the users can now either use their own algorithms or the new features available in Vissim 11. The influence of automated vehicles can also be studied at the macroscopic level (i.e. with Visum) thanks to the scripts developed by the University of Stuttgart.
Now that the modelling software is AV-ready, the four roads authorities involved in CoEXist: Gothenburg, Helmond, Milton Keynes and Stuttgart will model their use cases using the microscopic simulation software, PTV Vissim and the macroscopic modelling software, PTV Visum.
The results of the local activities are much awaited.
Take the first steps towards automation-ready modelling
- All the deliverables, including modelling guides (microscopic & macroscopic modelling) are available on the CoEXist Website.
- A webinar on the new features for simulating automated vehicles with Vissim 11 is available on the CoEXist YouTube channel.
- Read what’s new in Vissim 11.
- Find further information about PTV Vissim drivermodel dll interface description and PTV VIssim API driving simulator interface in the PTV Vissim download area.