CACC Simulation Platform Designed for Urban Scenes

Abstract

As a key technology to alleviate urban congestion, Cooperative Adaptive Cruise Control (CACC) requires testing and evaluation before being commercialized. To evaluate CACC, simulation plays a key role. However, conventional simulation platforms focus more on highway scenes but less on urban scenes. Hence, this paper proposes a CACC simulation platform for urban scenes. The platform bears the following features: i) able to plug in production Connected and Automated Vehicle (CAV) control systems; ii) able to capture the interaction between Human-driven Vehicles (HVs) and CAVs; iii) able to evaluate CACC with regard to various traffic control; iv) capable of quantifying CACC safety in urban scenes; v) capable of assessing the impact of CACC on mobility in urban scenes. The platform is validated by comparing against actual field tests and previously published theoretical studies. Its credibility is confirmed in terms of free flow CACC, interrupted CACC flow and free flow Partially Connected and Automated Traffic (PCAT). Through the proposed platform, evaluations on CACC safety and mobility are conducted. The results reveal that current CACC technology requires significant enhancement, since CACC technology may interrupt the traffic in urban areas due to platoon splitting, interaction with lane-changing vehicles, etc. Rushing the deployment of current CACC technology in urban areas is probably not a good idea.