Impact of Fundamental Elements of Connected and Autonomous Technology on Right-Turn Gap Acceptance Behavior at an Uncontrolled Intersection

Abstract

Different original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) provide different connected and autonomous vehicle (CAV) solutions. However, previous studies that estimated the impact of CAV on driving behaviors assumed CAVs are identical, with an integrated form of technologies. In this study, a simulation was conducted to investigate how different fundamental elements of CAV technology (i.e., communication range, number of vehicular interactions, and car-following distance) affect right-turn gap acceptance behavior at unsignalized intersections. The results of the statistical analysis, critical gaps comparison, platooning analysis, and logistic regression revealed that (1) all elements increase the lag acceptance rate compared with all human-driven vehicles; (2) a longer communication range and more vehicular interactions make CAVs turn conservatively from a minor road, causing the critical gap to increase; (3) a shorter car-following distance causes CAVs to generate longer platoons and shorter gaps on a major road, which decreases acceptance probability; and (4) CAVs with a shorter car-following distance on a minor road are more aggressive in accepting gap/lag, causing the critical gap to decrease and acceptance probability to increase. The study conducted an impact analysis of CAV technologies from a novel perspective, and the results can be used as a technical report of CAV’s performance to help build transportation policies.