In this report a driving simulator experiment is described. This experiment was conducted to investigate car-following behaviour. The aim was to acquire more fundamental knowledge on this subject in order to apply it in microscopic traffic simulation models. The MIXIC microscopic model was used as a reference. Both steady-state and dynamic car-following situations were studied. Disturbances that were imposed on a car-following situation were lane-change manoeuvres executed by a car just ahead of the subject, and disturbances consisting of changes in the lead car's longitudinal movement. Longitudinal disturbances used were a sudden increase or decrease of the lead car's speed or of the following distance. From the resulting response of the total driver/vehicle system, it is possible to derive a direct estimate of car-following parameters of the MIXIC driver model. The results generally confirmed the assumption of constant driver model parameters (that is to say independent of speed and following distance). The only condition in which the constant parameter model was not confirmed was the situation where at a small distance (less than 30 m), the lead car suddenly reduced its speed, causing a collision course.
Abstract