Title: A calibration framework of car following models for safety analysis based on vehicle tracking data from smartphone probes

Authors: Giuseppe Guido; Frank Fedel Saccomanno; Alessandro Vitale; Vincenzo Gallelli; Daniele Rogano

Addresses: Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile, Università della Calabria, Rende (CS) 87036, Italy ' University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, N2L 6P6, Canada ' Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile, Università della Calabria, Rende (CS) 87036, Italy ' Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile, Università della Calabria, Rende (CS) 87036, Italy ' Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile, Università della Calabria, Rende (CS) 87036, Italy

Abstract: This study introduces a new methodology for acquiring vehicle tracking data with which to calibrate and validate microsimulation traffic models for safety analysis. Most common approaches are based on video image processing algorithms or the use of roadside Bluetooth detectors. In this paper a procedure is presented that makes use of on-board assisted-GPS equipped smartphone probes supplemented by other location services including Wi-Fi positioning system and cell-site multilateration. The calibration procedure was applied to the VISSIM® software using a genetic algorithm to systematically modify the parameters of car following behaviour model in order to fit vehicle tracking data obtained from simulations to the measured ones. Vehicle tracking data are analysed in terms of rear-end interactions among vehicles in traffic stream; these interactions are expressed by the deceleration rate to avoid a crash, a surrogate safety measure accounting for the speed differential between follower and leader vehicles and their closing time.

Keywords: smartphone probes; vehicle tracking data; traffic simulation; safety performance; mobile networks; vehicle safety; calibration; car following models; smartphones; modelling; microsimulation; on-board GPS; global positioning system; location services; wi-fi positioning systems; cell-site multilateration; genetic algorithms; rear-end interactions; deceleration rate; collision avoidance; speed differential; vehicle closing time.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMNDI.2014.067178

International Journal of Mobile Network Design and Innovation, 2014 Vol.5 No.4, pp.205 - 212

Received: 19 Feb 2014
Accepted: 16 Jul 2014

Published online: 07 Feb 2015 *

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