IBM Research and Kyoto University create first urban transportation simulation system

10 June 2008

Tokyo: Kyoto University and IBM's Tokyo Research Laboratory have jointly developed a system that can simulate a broad range of urban transport situations -- including millions of individual vehicles involved in complex traffic interactions -- to predict what will happen if a new office building, sports arena or other major facility is built and help improve planning of roads and public transportation.

Although similar agent-based systems have been developed for simulations, this is the first traffic simulation system of its kind. It will address the booming congestion problem by driving transport measures, such as changing mass-transit to provide more trains or buses, optimising traffic lights route planning to reduce jams, and other long-term solutions for the entire Kyoto metropolitan area.

The system simulates large-scale traffic situations involving millions of vehicles and shows the impact change will have. For example, the simulator can validate what kind of effect a new shopping mall opening or a traffic regulation will have on wide-area traffic. The system provides current status of traffic and the alignment of roads to drivers, including current speed and positions of vehicles, the distance between cars, the curvature and gradient of road on which the specific vehicle is running.

City planners can use this data to model how each driver will react. In addition, by adding a variety of attributes to the model, the system can simulate traffic conditions with an eye to reducing carbon dioxide and potential accidents.

Led by Kyoto University and IBM's Tokyo Research Laboratory --with support from the Japan's ministry of internal affairs and communications' strategic information and communications R&D promotion programme, the joint research is intended to simulate transport on a large scale using drivers with a variety of driving characteristics and human intentions. The Ishida and Matsubara Research Lab at the Kyoto University Graduate School of Informatics created a system which models a variety of drivers, including seniors and young drivers.

"Imagine having the ability to ease congestion while curtailing pollution and accidents," said Prof. Toru Ishida of the department of social informatics, Kyoto University. "IBM and Kyoto University have found a way to do this before expensive and disruptive construction and other changes impact Kyoto's economy and its citizens. This is an example of how technology can aid smarter decision-making."