Modular framework for simulation modelling of interaction-rich transport systems

The increasing pervasiveness of information and communication technology (ICT) in transport systems changes the requirements on techniques and tools for transport simulation modelling. Novel ICT-powered responsive mobility services, such as real-time on-demand transport, are interaction-rich in a sense that they rely on frequent, ad hoc interactions between various entities of the transport system. These interactions have to be properly captured in the model if it is to accurately represent the dynamics of the modelled transport system. Unfortunately, existing modelling tools are not well suited for modelling interaction-rich transport systems. We have therefore developed a novel modular simulation framework designed specifically for modelling transport systems in which ad hoc interactions and decision making play an important role. The framework provides an extensible library of modelling elements based on a unifying ontology of agent-based modelling abstractions, a high-performance discrete-event simulation engine and suite of tools supporting real-world deployment and utilization of implemented models. By fully leveraging the conceptual foundation of multiagent systems, our framework provides flexibility and extensibility that is difficult to achieve by existing approaches. We demonstrate the applicability of the framework on the models of five distinct interaction-rich transport systems.