Dynamic traffic simulation for controlling traffic flow

A method for managing traffic flow on roads which will help alleviate congestion is described. A road traffic simulator has been developed in which each vehicle can change route so as to reduce its travel time in accordance with travel time information provided. The simulator simulates the so-called Q-V relation, which means the average velocity on a link is determined in a nonlinear fashion by the quantity of traffic flow. Using this traffic simulator, an actual traffic network is evaluated, both with and without the traffic information. The delay in supplying information reduces the performance of the system at a particular location. Generally, the greater the number of locations for provision, the better. There is an optimum number that provides for fairly good performance in a relatively small number of places. This optimum information provision location is resolved using the traffic simulator.