On the precise quantification of the impact of a single discretionary lane change on surrounding traffic
Kangning Hou, Jia Zou, Fangfang Zheng, Xiaobo Liu, Zhengbing He
TL;DR
The paper tackles the problem of quantifying the impact of a single discretionary lane change on surrounding traffic by separating lane-change effects from inherent traffic dynamics and by measuring the complete spatiotemporal reach of the impact. It introduces the Corrected Travel Distance Bias (CTDB) and a four-step vehicle-level framework that combines kinematic-wave-based demarcation times, a Travel Distance Bias (TDB) metric, robust affected-time criteria, and CTDB aggregation to yield a deterministic assessment. Key findings from Zen Traffic Data show that lane-change impacts typically last about $24$ seconds and affect around 5–6 upstream vehicles, with CTDB values indicating negative impact on the target lane ($W^A$ around $-10.8$ m) and positive impact on the original lane ($W^A$ around $+4.7$ m), while a global analysis suggests an average negative overall effect. The work provides a practical approach for automated-vehicle decision-making and traffic management, and it outlines future directions to extend the framework to safety, stability, and congestion scenarios.
Abstract
Lane-changing is a critical maneuver of vehicle driving, and a comprehensive understanding of its impact on traffic is essential for effective traffic management and optimization. Unfortunately, existing studies fail to adequately distinguish the impact of lane changes from those resulting from natural traffic dynamics. Additionally, there is a lack of precise methods for measuring the spatial extent and duration of the impact of a single discretionary lane change, as well as a definitive metric to quantify the overall spatiotemporal impact. To address these gaps, this study introduces a quantitative indicator called the Corrected Travel Distance Bias (CTDB), which accounts for variable speeds due to inherent traffic dynamics, providing a more accurate assessment of lane-changing impacts. A comprehensive methodology is developed to compare vehicle trajectory data before and after lane-changing events, measuring both the magnitude and spatiotemporal extent of the lane-changing impact. The results, based on the Zen traffic data from Japan, indicate that the impact of a lane change in the target lane lasts an average of 23.8 seconds, affecting approximately 5.6 vehicles, with a CTDB value of -10.8 meters. In contrast, in the original lane, the impact lasts 25 seconds, affects 5.3 vehicles, and yields a CTDB value of 4.7 meters.