MAULANA AZAD NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

BHOPAL (M.P)

LANE CHANGING MODELS

GUIDED BY: PREPARED BY:
Dr. PRATIKANA DAS MA’AM BATCH OF 2020-2022
VAIBHAV KUMAR JAIN
SCHOLAR NO.202111510
CONTENT
1.Introduction.
2.Classification of lane change.
3.Mandatory lane change.
4.Discretionary lane change.
5.Lane changing process.
6.lane changing models.
7.discretionary lane changing process.
8.Example
9.conclusion.
10.references
INTRODUCTION
transfer of a vehicle from one lane to adjacent lane is defined as
lane change.
decision to change lanes depends on several objectives, and at
times some of these may conflict.
Mandatory and discretionary lane change.
CLASSIFICAI
ON OF LANE
CHANGE
CLASSIFICATION OF LANE
CHANGE
Basic lane change model is described using the framework
shown above. The subject vehicle in the current lane tries to
change direction either to its left or to its right. If the gap in
the selected lane is acceptable then the lane change occurs
or else it will remain in the current lane The classification of
lane change is done based on the execution of the lane
change and accordingly two type of lane changes exists,
namely the mandatory and discretionary lane changes.
MANDATORY LANE CHANGE
Mandatory lane change (MLC) occurs when a driver must change
lane to follow a specified path.
Suppose if a driver wants to make a right turn at the next
intersection, then he changes to the right most lane
Explanatory variables that affect such decision include remaining
distance to the point at which lane change must be completed, the
number of lanes to cross to reach a lane connected to the next link,
delay, and whether the subject vehicle is a heavy vehicle (bus, truck,
etc..,).
DISCRETIONARY LANE CHANGING
occurs when a driver changes to a lane perceived to offer better traffic conditions,
such as to achieve desired speed, avoid following trucks, avoid merging traffic, etc.
The DLC corresponds to the case where either a driver does not respond to an
MLC condition, or that MLC conditions do not apply.
two decisions: whether the driving conditions are satisfactory, and if not
satisfactory, whether any other lane is better than the current lane.
factors affecting the decision whether the driving conditions are satisfactory
include the speed of the driver compared to the desired speed, presence of heavy
vehicles in front and behind the subject vehicle, if an adjacent on ramp merges with
the current lane, whether the subject is tailgated etc.
DECISION
TREE
LANE CHANGING PROCESS
Sequence of several decision-making steps such as:
 
Desire to change the current lane
Selection of the target lane
Ensuring lane change is feasible
Decision to change lane based on gap acceptance
LANE
CHANCHI
NG
PROCESS
LANE CHANGING MODELS
 Forced merging model
Forced merging happens if the gap on the target lane is not acceptable then the
subject vehicle forces the lag vehicle on the target to decelerate until the gap is
acceptable. At every discrete point in time, a driver is assumed to (a) evaluate the
traffic environment in the target lane to decide whether the driver intends to merge in
front of the lag vehicle in the target lane and (b) try to communicate with the lag
vehicle to understand whether the driver’s right of way is established. If a driver
intends to merge in front of the lag vehicle and right of way is established, then the
decision process ends and the driver gradually move into the target lane. This process
may last from less than a second to a few seconds. If right of way is not established,
the subject continues the evaluation/communication process during the next time
instant.
LANE CHANGING MODELS
 Cooperative Merging
The models discussed so far assume that lane changing is executed
through gap acceptance. However, in congested traffic conditions
acceptable gaps may not be available, and the resultant behaviour
would be different. For example, drivers may change lanes through
courtesy and cooperation of the lag vehicles on the target lane that
will slow down in order to accommodate the lane change.
CLASSIFICATION OF LANE
CHANGING MODEL.
Lane Changing Models

Driving Assistance Driving Decision

Models Models

Collision Prevention Automation Models Tactical Decision

Models Models

Operational Decision
Models
DRIVING DECISION MODEL
In this driver’s decision to execute a lane changing
manoeuvre (the operational lane changing decision) is
based on traffic characteristic of the surrounding vehicles.
However, the drivers’ tactical lane changing decision is
according to estimated results of search algorithms. In the
other category of model, those based on traffic
characteristics, the drivers’ tactical and operational lane
changing decisions are estimated according to
characteristics of the surrounding traffic.
DESIRE TO CHANGE LANE
Desire to change the lane, whether discretionary or mandatory,
greatly depends on the driver characteristics and behavior.
Reasons include reduced speed in the current lane, queuing, forced
deceleration because of the lead vehicle.
driver perceives a higher utility in the target lane in terms of higher
speed or higher acceleration.
we assume that the first step of deciding whether to change the
lane arises basically from the current acceleration of the vehicle.
DISCRETIONARY LANE CHANGING
PROCESS.
The discretionary lane changing process is modeled as a sequence
of the following four steps:
Desire to change the current lane.
Selection of the target lane.
Ensuring lane change is feasible.
Gap acceptance criteria.
DESIRE TO CHANGE LANE
Lane changes may be performed due to several factors such as
reduced speed in the current lane, queuing, forced deceleration
because of the lead vehicle, etc.
Here we assume that the first step of deciding whether to change
the lane arises basically from the current acceleration of the vehicle.
This acceleration can be computed using any car following model,
say General Motors Model. If the vehicle has to decelerate due to
the lead vehicle, then the driver decides to change the lane.
 DESIRE TO CHANGE LANE
Acceleration of the vehicle in the current lane, a(n+1) can be computed by
General Motors Model:
•α is the sensitivity coefficient
•v is the velocity of the subject vehicle
•m is the speed exponent (-2 to +2)
•Δv is the velocity of the lead vehicle minus the velocity of the vehicle
•Δx is the distance gap between the lead and the subject vehicle
•l is the distance headway exponent (+4 to -1)

•If a(n+1) < 0, then the driver desires a change of lane

SEELECTION OF THE TARGET
LANE
several factors, such as queue length, operating speed, etc.
concept of utility maximization
assumption that the driver will select a lane that maximizes his
perceived utility
Utility can be taken as a function of several parameters such as
velocity, gap between vehicles, acceleration, etc.
probability of choosing the ith lane can be given by:
ENSURING FEASIBILITY OF LANE
CHANGE
lane change is said to be feasible if the subject vehicle will not
collide with the rear vehicle in the target lane
For avoiding collision, the deceleration of the rear vehicle in the
target lane needs to be less than the critical deceleration

If an+1 is less than the critical deceleration, it is feasible to change

the lane.
GAP ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA
probability of gap acceptance as a function of time can be written as:

lead gap is the gap between the subject vehicle and the vehicle ahead of it in
the lane it is changing to
lag gap is defined as the gap between the subject vehicle and the vehicle
behind in that lane
For merging into an adjacent lane, a gap is acceptable only when both lead
and lag gap are acceptable
EXAMPLE
maximum sage deceleration is 2 m∕s2, the critical time gap (both lead and lag)
is 0.7 sec, the coefficient of the gap acceptance model is 0.78, the sensitivity
coefficient of the car following model is 25, the speed exponent is one, and the
distance exponent is two. Determine if the driver of the subject vehicle will
change the lane.
EXAMPLE
Step 1. Decision to change the lane:

Since the value is negative, driver desires to change lane

EXAMPLE
Step 2. Lane Selection
utility is usually assumed
to be dependent on
acceleration for calculation
purposes.

Probabilities of lane selection

results in selection
of left lane
EXAMPLE
Step 3. Check for feasibility:
deceleration of the lag vehicle in the target lane needs to be less
than the critical deceleration.

 The value comes out to be lesser than critical value (-2.0 m∕s2)
Therefore, it is feasible.

 
 EXAMPLE
Step 4. Check for gap acceptance
Lead time gap = 40∕20 = 2 sec
Lag gap = 25/20 = 1.25 sec
Therefore, probability of acceptance of lead gap is

Similarly , probability of acceptance of lag gap is

Finally;
CONCLUSION
 Lane changes may depend on several factors such as reduced speed in the current
lane, queuing, forced deceleration because of the lead vehicle, etc.
Desire to change the lane, whether discretionary or mandatory, greatly depends on
the driver characteristics and behavior.
Understanding lane changing models are important to judge the driver behavior in
different situation.
The desire to change the lane becomes stronger when the driver also perceives a
higher utility in the target lane in terms of higher speed or higher acceleration or a
better position in the queue.
Lane changing models are therefore an important component in microscopic traffic
simulation Modeling to get behavior of a vehicle.
REFERENCES
1.Lecture Notes in Transportation Systems Engineering

Prof. Tom V. Mathew*

* IIT Bombay ([email protected])  January 10, 2019

2.Lane Changing Models: A Critical Review
Sara Moridpour, Majid Sarvi, Geoff Rose
Department of Civil Engineering, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
3.Class notes