Traffic Simulation

Research about playfully improving traffic lights

The purpose of this project is to find out if a gamified application can help to  improve a situation in real life. In this case making traffic light routines more efficient to reduce waiting time and the relating CO2 emissions.

Abstract

This research paper takes on the question of how improving light-signal systems can be made more enjoyable to outsource it to people who are usually not part of the traffic organisation business. As theoretical background, light-signal systems have been analysed, existing traffic simulations observed and their differences identified. In addition to that, possibilities of how the fun could be added into the simulation have been tested.

 After letting about 20 people try out the program, the results have been mixed. Due to randomness of the traffic situations, especially the time of arrival at the intersection, even when trying to reproduce a traffic light setting that has previously been showing good results, the outcome of a test can be very different. Therefore it is advised to let the simulation run multiple times with the same green phase duration settings in order to get more accurate feedback. Since this would not be fun for the player, further possibilities of running multiple simulations at the same time in the background to then calculate the average waiting times would be beneficial.

To make it fun for the players in the first place, game elements which not interfere with the accuracy of the simulation are best to use. Most recommended is to set up a competition for players in which they will try to be the best. In addition to that, by adding locations to the map of the simulation, specific scenarios can be created to tell a story about the current traffic situation and why it has to be solved.

Programming

To gain valid results to prove the theory, a working prototype simulation is required which in this case is developed in Unity3D. Its features are:

• Adjustable traffic light routines
• Simulation of traffic
• Adjustable traffic situations
• Calculation of results