Skip to main content

PTV Group supports UK CAV project

German transportation modelling specialist PTV Group is working with UK consultants Atkins on a project commissioned by the UK Department for Transport which looks to simulate the potential impacts connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) may have on traffic flow and capacity of the UK road network. The project uses PTV’s Vissim 8 software which enables users to create a virtual testing environment and simulate all modes of transport, illustrating their motion characteristics and mutual interaction. User
April 11, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
German transportation modelling specialist 3264 PTV Group is working with UK consultants 1677 Atkins on a project commissioned by the UK 1837 Department for Transport which looks to simulate the potential impacts connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) may have on traffic flow and capacity of the UK road network.

The project uses PTV’s Vissim 8 software which enables users to create a virtual testing environment and simulate all modes of transport, illustrating their motion characteristics and mutual interaction. Users can then not only examine the driving behaviour of autonomous vehicles but also their impact on traffic flow.

Atkins project manager Dr Dave Williams commented: “There are lots of uncertainties around the future of connected and autonomous vehicles. Whilst we are starting to understand what the capabilities might be, our aim for this project is to contemplate a range of different possible futures for CAVs. For example, whilst it is often assumed that CAVs will be able to travel at shorter headways, we are considering scenarios where CAVs are more cautious than the existing vehicle fleet, and looking at the implications for road capacity.

Our testing in PTV Vissim 8 involves modifying the car-following and lane-changing models to look at a range of different behaviours. Through the COM API we have con-figured CAVs to change their behaviour type according to the situation – this is an important aspect of evaluating the potential impacts of connectivity.”

The project is due to report in mid 2016.
UTC

Related Content

  • April 25, 2012
    PTV wins first ITS contract in Russia
    Russian company Tolltec is currently implementing ITS technology to optimise the high traffic volumes on the 115km-long St. Petersburg's ring motorway that stretches around the whole city. As part of this project, PTV software, including the company's TrafficCountManagement and VISSIM, is part of the ITS technology used for St. Petersburg's ring road.
  • February 3, 2012
    Germany's approach to adaptive traffic control
    Jürgen Mück, Siemens AG, describes the three-level approach taken in Germany to adaptive network control
  • April 29, 2013
    PTV launches first Shaping Transportation event
    On 18 and 19 June 2013, world transportation experts will meet at Shaping Transportation in London, when German software and traffic consultants PTV Group extend the format of their traditional PTV Vision user group meeting. During the two days, speakers such as Dr Hans Jeekel, Rijkswaterstaat, Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment, the Netherlands, Sanjiv N Sahai, CEO of Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit Systems (DIMTS) and Allan Gooch who was responsible for transport planning during the 2012
  • June 21, 2022
    Aimsun assesses Spain V2X impact
    An Aimsun project with C-Roads Spain to assess the impact of Day 1 V2X services has been completed: Aimsun senior transportation modeller Laura Torres explains some of the results