Platoon based model for urban traffic control

The paper proposes a new platoon based (PB) model of traffic behavior in an urban traffic network. By grouping the vehicles that travel closely together at approximately the same speed into a platoon the model provides an abstract representation of the dynamical evolution of the traffic state. This leads to efficient discrete event simulation tools, much faster than the microscopic models representing individual vehicles, while explicitly representing the heterogeneity characterizing urban traffic, something that is not possible with a macroscopic model. The validity of the PB model is justified by careful analysis of real measurements. Its fast simulations enable the application of model based estimation (using particle filtering) and (model predictive) feedback control tools for urban traffic.