Definition of a Python script for the micro-simulation of the truck platooning system
Abstract
Truck platooning is, by now, one of the major topics in transport science and freight transport. The benefits arising from the system explain the growing interest of the involved stakeholders and the many field-tests planned in the next years. This run towards truck platooning saw an abrupt acceleration but there are risks that should be accounted for. Even though field-tests are fundamental for the implementation of a new transport system, they will hardly cover all the traffic scenarios that a platoon of trucks will face on the European network. Therefore, there is the need for many more studies based on traffic simulation and for tools enabling traffic simulation software to reproduce truck platooning. In this framework, the paper has two aims, the first one being to report and describe a Python script to reproduce truck platooning with a common commercial simulation software. The second one is to apply said script to analyse what is the best driving strategy for a platoon of truck to limit the hindrance on the surrounding traffic while approaching a critical highway segment such as the on-ramp one. At the end of the paper, a comparison between three different strategies (driving as usual, dissolution and headway adaptation) is carried out and commented.
First published online 11 November 2020
Keyword : truck platooning, Python script, impact assessment, C-Roads, traffic efficiency, traffic modelling
How to Cite
Agriesti, S., Ponti, M., Studer, L., Maja, R., Aleccia, O., Lohmiller, J., & Gordillo, I. V. (2021). Definition of a Python script for the micro-simulation of the truck platooning system. Transport, 36(1), 84-97. https://doi.org/10.3846/transport.2020.13784
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
References
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Studer, L.; Frötscher, A.; Crockford, G.; Gandini, P.; Marchionni, G.; Netten, B.; Vlassenroot, S.; Kwakernaat, H. J.; Zimmermann, W.; Wadsworth, P.; Gutiérrez Lanza, S.; Innamaa, S.; Schirokoff, A.; Dörge, L.; Carvalho, D.; Tegenbos, R.; Chalhoub, G.; Geißler, T.; Merlin, B.; Nelen, L.; Vanis, M.; Herrero Zarzosa, J. I.; Nagy, Á.; Aniss, H.; Esposito, M. C.; Burianne, A. 2018. Evaluation and Assessment Plan. Final Version. Working Group 3, C-Roads Platform, Austria. 71 p. Available from Internet: https://www.c-roads.eu/fileadmin/user_upload/media/Dokumente/C-Roads_WG3_Evaluation_and_Assessment_Plan_Final.pdf
TRB. 2010. Highway Capacity Manual. Transportation Research Board (TRB), Washington, DC, US. 1650 p.
Van Maarseveen, S. 2017. Impacts of Truck Platooning at Motorway On-ramps. MSc Thesis. Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands. 174 p. Available from Internet: https://repository.tudelft.nl/islandora/object/uuid:dd8ee414-bd-dc-435b-90fe-21480cbd9187
Agriesti, S.; Studer, L.; Ponti, M.; Gandini, P.; Marchionni, G.; Maja, R.; Borghetti, F.; Paglino, V.; Bruglieri, M. 2018b. Evaluation Approach for a Combined Implementation of Day 1 C-ITS and Truck Platooning – v.1.0. Ex-Ante Evaluation Report. C-Roads Italy. 232 p.
Agriesti, S.; Studer, L.; Marchionni, G.; Gandini, P.; Qu, X. 2020. Roadworks warning – closure of a lane, the impact of C-ITS messages, Infrastructures 5(3): 27. https://doi.org/10.3390/infrastructures5030027
Aleccia, O. 2019. Impatti del truck platooning sul traffico: il caso studio delle rampe di ingresso. Tesi di laurea Magistrale. Politecnico di Milano, Repubblica Italiana. Available from Internet: https://www.politesi.polimi.it/handle/10589/150770 (in Italian).
Andersson, J.; Englund, C.; Voronov, A. 2017. Study of Communication Needs in Interaction between Trucks and Surrounding Traffic in Platooning. Drive Sweden, Lindholmen Science Park, Gothenburg, Sweden. 22 p. Available from Internet: https://www.drivesweden.net/sites/default/files/content/fi-nal_report_-_40016_submitted.pdf
Bakermans, B. A. 2016. Truck Platooning: Enablers, Barriers, Potential and Impact. MSc Thesis, Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands. 85 p. Available from Internet: https://repository.tudelft.nl/islandora/object/uuid:3e4e265b-b84c-474b-85b9-9840a5c85464
Benza, M.; Bersani, C.; D’Incà, M.; Roncoli, C.; Sacile, R.; Trotta, A.; Pizzorni, D.; Briata, S.; Ridolfi, R. 2012. Intelligent transport systems (ITS) applications on dangerous good transport on road in Italy, in 2012 7th International Conference on System of Systems Engineering (SoSE), 16–19 July 2012, Genova, Italy, 223–228. https://doi.org/10.1109/SYSoSE.2012.6384180
Bishop, R. 2017. Connected automated trucking: latest developments and outlook, in 5th Annual Florida Automated Vehicles (FAV) Summit, 14–15 November 2017, Tampa, FL, US. 34 p. Available from Internet: https://favsummit.com/pdfs/richard-bishop.pdf
Brizzolara, D.; Toth, A. 2016. The emergence of truck platooning, Baltic Transport Journal (2): 58–59.
Deng, Q. 2016. Heavy-Duty Vehicle Platooning: Modeling and Analysis. Licentiate Thesis. KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden. 64 p. Available from Internet: http://kth.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2%3A901974&dswid=433
EC. 2018. Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee, the Committee of the Regions on the Road to Automated Mobility: an EU Strategy for Mobility of the Future. COM/2018/283 Final, 17 May 2018, Brussels, Belgium. 18 p. Available from Internet: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52018DC0283
ERTRAC. 2017. Automated Driving Roadmap. Version 7.0. European Road Transport Research Advisory Council (ERTRAC) Working Group “Connectivity and Automated Driving”. 56 p. Available from Internet: https://www.ertrac.org/uploads/documentsearch/id48/ERTRAC_Automated_Driving_2017.pdf
Gordon, M. M. 2015. Evaluation of Driver Assistive Truck Platooning on Traffic Flow. MSc Thesis. Auburn University, AL, US. 65 p. Available from Internet: https://etd.auburn.edu/bit-stream/handle/10415/4693/MMG_Thesis.pdf
Lammert, M.; Duran, A.; Diez, J.; Burton K.; Nicholson, A. 2014. Effect of platooning on fuel consumption of class 8 vehicles over a range of speeds, Following Distances, and Mass, SAE International Journal of Commercial Vehicles 7(2): 626–639. https://doi.org/10.4271/2014-01-2438
Liang, K.-Y.; Mårtensson, J.; Johansson, K. H. 2014. Fuel-saving potentials of platooning evaluated through sparse heavy-duty vehicle position data, in 2014 IEEE Intelligent Vehicles Symposium Proceedings, 8–11 June 2014, Dearborn, MI, US, 1061–1068. https://doi.org/10.1109/IVS.2014.6856540
Ploeg, J.; Serrarens A. F. A.; Heijenk, G. J. 2011. Connect & drive: design and evaluation of cooperative adaptive cruise control for congestion reduction, Journal of Modern Transportation 19(3): 207–213. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03325760
Ramezani, H.; Shladover, S. E.; Lu, X.-Y.; Chou, F.-C. 2018. Microsimulation Framework to Explore Impact of Truck Platooning on Traffic Operation and Energy Consumption: Development and Case Study. PATH Research Report for FHWA Exploratory Advanced Research Program Cooperative Agreement DTFH61-13-H00012 Tasks 1.4 and 2.7. Institute of Transportation Studies, University of California, Berkeley, CA, US. 54 p. Available from Internet: https://path.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/fhwa_report_-_2-27-2018_.pdf
Ricardo UK Ltd. 2014. Heavy Vehicle Platoons on UK Roads: Feasibility Study. Document No RD.14/57101.2. Ricardo UK Ltd., UK. 107 p. Available from Internet: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/637361/truck-platooning-uk-feasibility-study.pdf
SAE International. 2016. Taxonomy and Definitions for Terms Related to Driving Automation Systems for On-Road Motor Vehicles. Ground Vehicle Standard J3016_201609. https://doi.org/10.4271/J3016_201609
Sia Partners. 2016. Platooning Towards Sustainable Road Freight Transport: the Benefits, Drawbacks and Future Outlook. Sia Partners, Paris, France. 9 p. Available from Internet: https://www.sia-partners.com/system/files/document_download/file/2020-06/insight_platooning_-_benefits_drawbacks_and_future_outlook.pdf
Smith, D. A. 2016. Modeling and Understanding the Implications of Future Truck Technology Scenarios for Performance-Based Freight Corridor Planning. PhD Dissertation. Georgia Institute of Technology, GA, US. 134 p. Available from Internet: https://smartech.gatech.edu/handle/1853/56245
Studer, L.; Agriesti, S.; Gandini, P.; Marchionni, G.; Ponti, M. 2019. Impact assessment of cooperative and automated vehicles, in M. Lu (Ed.). Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems: Towards High-Level Automated Driving, 397–417. https://doi.org/10.1049/PBTR025E_ch18
Studer, L.; Frötscher, A.; Crockford, G.; Gandini, P.; Marchionni, G.; Netten, B.; Vlassenroot, S.; Kwakernaat, H. J.; Zimmermann, W.; Wadsworth, P.; Gutiérrez Lanza, S.; Innamaa, S.; Schirokoff, A.; Dörge, L.; Carvalho, D.; Tegenbos, R.; Chalhoub, G.; Geißler, T.; Merlin, B.; Nelen, L.; Vanis, M.; Herrero Zarzosa, J. I.; Nagy, Á.; Aniss, H.; Esposito, M. C.; Burianne, A. 2018. Evaluation and Assessment Plan. Final Version. Working Group 3, C-Roads Platform, Austria. 71 p. Available from Internet: https://www.c-roads.eu/fileadmin/user_upload/media/Dokumente/C-Roads_WG3_Evaluation_and_Assessment_Plan_Final.pdf
TRB. 2010. Highway Capacity Manual. Transportation Research Board (TRB), Washington, DC, US. 1650 p.
Van Maarseveen, S. 2017. Impacts of Truck Platooning at Motorway On-ramps. MSc Thesis. Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands. 174 p. Available from Internet: https://repository.tudelft.nl/islandora/object/uuid:dd8ee414-bd-dc-435b-90fe-21480cbd9187