Study of Vehicle-Following Behavior Under Heterogeneous Traffic Conditions

The research work is attempted in capturing the following behavior of vehicles under Indian traffic conditions. In this context, two access-controlled midblock sections on multi-lane urban roads were selected in studying the driving behavior. Later with the help of trajectory data from the two study sections, time-space plots are developed for the vehicles' movement in the same lane as well as from adjacent lanes for studying non-lane based movement. Based on close inspection on time-space plot of vehicles, vehicles pairs which are in the tentative following conditions are distinguished along with the vehicles in adjacent lanes, which may affect the tentative leader-follower pairs. From the distinguished leader-follower pairs, vehicle-following behavior is thoroughly investigated. The investigation is carried out by identifying relationship (hysteresis plots) between relative distance versus relative velocity plots among the leader-follower vehicle for the vehicles in the same as well as in adjacent lane that is nearby position. Hysteresis phenomenon (representative of vehicle interaction) for vehicles under following behavior is examined in quantifying the following behavior of vehicles.