Comparing system optimum-based and user decision-based traffic models in an autonomous transport system

Abstract

The paper introduces a framework to perform the demand management and route planning tasks of a highly developed transport system managing scheme, assuming an autonomous transport system. Two types of autonomous transport system managing models have been introduced. In case of the first model, the assigned number of trips is assumed to be the modified variable related to the optimization problem. In case of the second model, the decision process is directly influenced by the travel prices defined by the optimization method. These approaches represent different demand management strategies. The first model aims to directly assign the incoming user demands to the system, while the second procedure lets the users make the decision. However, in the second case the system can strongly influence the users’ choices through the values of the travel prices. Accordingly, it seems to be a reasonable assumption that the firstly presented model has significantly higher efficiency in distributing the load on the network. On the other hand, the method of the second model would be much more tolerable and acceptable from a social point of view. Therefore, the aim of the paper is to introduce the developed models and to compare their efficiencies.