Multi-agent based modeling and simulation of microscopic traffic in virtual reality system

• A general multi-agent based framework for virtual reality intelligent simulation system of vehicles is proposed.
• Modeling and formal specifications of multi-agent traffic simulation are studied.
• Dynamic features of the real world are realized in the simulation system.
• Microscopic traffic behavior and vehicle control algorithm are verified by the intelligent simulation system.

Traffic simulation in virtual reality system plays an important part in the research of microscopic traffic behavior, but developing the traffic simulation is a difficult work because of its inherent complexity. This article focuses on the modeling and simulation of microscopic traffic behavior in virtual reality system using multi-agent technology, a hierarchical modular modeling methodology and distributed simulation. Besides, the dynamic features of the real world have been considered in the simulation system in order to improve the microscopic traffic analysis. First, the multi-agent based system framework is designed and analyzed. Then, the environment agent and the intelligent vehicle agent are presented for the simulation of interaction between vehicles and environment, especially the road geometry and wind affect on the vehicle. Finally, the application results are presented to show the feasibility of the proposed method.