A multi-cell Cellular Automata model of traffic flow with emergency vehicles: Effect of a corridor of life and drivers’ behaviour

Abstract

The intensity of traffic flow is constantly increasing, which causes significant difficulties in the movement of emergency vehicles through the city. Observations conclude that there is a need to pay more attention to drivers for an approaching emergency vehicle by implementing new technologies in cars and road infrastructure and educating drivers. One way to present valuable results is to use mathematical and computer simulation methods. Various macroscopic and microscopic road traffic models allow traffic flow analysis. However, it should be emphasised that standard traffic flow models do not include emergency vehicle traffic. We propose a multi-agent microscopic model for analysing the traffic flow of emergency vehicles in an urban environment, with some limitations to the distance between vehicles and their proper distribution (“corridor of life”) to leave a free passage for a privileged vehicle. Real data was used to calibrate and validate the model. Our simulation studies show the importance of certain aspects of road traffic (distance between cars, “corridor of life”, size and type of roadside, frictional conflict, etc.) to increase/decrease the traffic flow considering the approaching emergency vehicle.