An improved car-following model with consideration of multiple preceding and following vehicles in a driver’s view

Abstract

Common driving experience suggests that a driver’s car-following behavior is often affected by the preceding and following vehicles in the driver’s view. In this study, we propose an improved car-following model based on the full velocity difference (FVD) model by considering two preceding and the immediate following vehicles in a driver’s view. Car-following data extracted from real traffic situation is used to calibrate and verify both of the improved model and the FVD model. Our data analysis shows that the motion status of two preceding vehicles and one following vehicle in a driver’s view can influence traffic flow of following vehicles after the driver’s vehicle. We compare the performance of the improved model and the FVD model by simulating the starting and braking processes of the following vehicles. The numerical simulation study shows that the improved model fits the experimental data better than the FVD model by showing a shorter time of completing the starting and braking processes of the following vehicles.