An Autonomous Driver Model for the Overtaking Maneuver for Use in Microscopic Traffic Simulation

Autonomous driver models are widely used in driving simulators as an integral part of microscopic traffic simulation within the virtual environment. Realistic and believable driver models significantly enhance the user's experience and are often necessary for conducting simulator-based research. One way to increase the traffic fidelity is to extend the behaviors exhibited by driver models. Typically, behaviors such as vehicle following and lane tracking are augmented with specialized behaviors such as emergency responses and parking maneuvers. This paper describes one such behavior that is part of the microscopic traffic simulation system developed at the University of Iowa and currently in use in various driving simulators. The paper describes the model used for overtaking a vehicle by temporarily traveling in an opposite-flow lane.