Using Agent-Based Simulation to Determine an Optimal Lane-Changing Strategy on a Multi-Lane Highway

Lane changing can increase or impede the flow of vehicular traffic, depending on traffic density and the lane-changing strategies used by individual drivers. We implement and extend the Nagel-Schreckenberg (N-S) traffic model as an agent-based model to investigate lane-changing behavior on a multi-lane roadway, with the goal of determining which lane changing strategies result in the greatest overall traffic flow. We show that in heavier traffic, an aggressive lane changing policy may be beneficial for overall traffic flow.