A Study for Merging of Automated Vehicles

Authors

Yildirim Dülgar, Hubert Rehborn, Sven-Eric Molzahn, Micha Koller, Mercedes-Benz R&D, Daimler AG, Sindelfingen;
Michael Menth, Universität Tübingen, Lehrstuhl für Kommunikationsnetze, Tübingen;
Boris Kerner, Michael Schreckenberg, Universität Duisburg-Essen, Physik von Transport und Verkehr, Duisburg

Summary

An automated vehicle should perform all its driving maneuvers safely and consistently with all laws, including merging maneuvers from an on-ramp onto the freeway. In this study an analysis model will be developed to investigate the expected waiting times for
automated vehicles during merging maneuvers at freeway on-ramps. Single vehicle data measured at single freeway locations are used. The study reveals that the merging time threshold, which is the time an automated vehicle needs for a complete merging maneuver, is a crucial parameter for automated vehicles. Furthermore, it is shown by using real empirical single vehicle data that the merging possibility of automated vehicles is lane and traffic phase dependent in the scope of Kerner's threephase traffic theory: On the right lane and in synchronized flow the merging possibilities
have lowest values and the waiting time is highest.

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