Techniques, Advantages and Problems of Agent Based Modeling for Traffic Simulation

Agent-based modeling (ABM) is a powerful simulation modeling technique in the last few years. ABM, as an approach to simulating the behavior of a complex system in which agents interact with each other and with their environment using simple local rules, is gaining popularity and widespread use in many areas. Successes of this approach in predicting traffic flow in metropolitan areas, the spread of infectious diseases, and the behavior of economic systems have generated further interest in this powerful technology. In this paper we focus on agent-based approach to traffic simulation, and investigate its benefits, difficulties and (microscopic-macroscopic) techniques.