1999/11/18 by M. Antoni, Mickaël Antoni, Antoni, M. +3
Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #FOS: Physical sciences #Statistical Mechanics (cond-mat.stat-mech) #Traffic control and management #cond-mat.stat-mech
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.cond-mat/9911277
4 pages, 4 figures, latex file and 7 postscript files for figures
arxiv created 1999/11/18 · openalex publication_date 1999/11/18 · arxiv updated 2009/11/30 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
A two parameter model for single lane car-following is introduced and its equilibrium and non-equilibrium properties are studied. Despite its simplicity, this model exhibits a rich phenomenology, analogous to that observed in real traffic, like transitions between different dynamical regimes and hysteresis in the fundamental flux-density diagram. We show that traffic jams can spontaneously appear in clustered-like structures. In the jammed phase, we observe a slow relaxation phenomenon ruled by the outgoing car flux that determines the hysteretic dependence of the fundamental flux-density diagram. Coexisting phase regimes are also evidenced so as propagating or stationary density waves. The model can be easily calibrated to reproduce experimental observations.