Models and simulations considering caution behavior based on the theory of cellular automaton

The drivers´ driving behavior tends to be cautious at high-speed. As one of drivers´ driving characteristics, the caution behavior is more obvious when the driving speed increases. Based on various analysis of driving behavior at urban roads and the one-dimensional cellular automaton traffic flow model, this research proposed the cautious decelerate process of vehicles. Then a cellular automaton model of traffic flow is established which considered the drivers´ caution behavior in one-dimensional urban road system. Numerical simulation results show that the average traffic flow and density would decrease with the increase of caution drivers. The results also showed the average traffic flow and density would increase at a certain point due to the loss of “slow-to-start” probability caused by caution behavior. The changes of average speed is just the opposite as mentioned above.