Simulation-Based Testing and Evaluation Tools for Transportation Cyber-Physical Systems

Transportation cyber-physical systems (TCPSs) require simulation-based testing and evaluation due to the prohibitive cost of building realistic test beds. Given the transdisciplinary nature of TCPSs, various simulation models and frameworks have been proposed in civil engineering, computer science, and related fields. Traditionally, researchers in different areas have developed their own set of simulation tools, which provide limited capability for TCPS research. In recent years, we have witnessed a growing interest of combining two or more features of traditional simulators to capture the unique characteristics of TCPSs. In this paper, we describe several mainstream simulation models used in transportation, communication, and human-factor studies in TCPS research. Moreover, we present our unique design and implementation of an integrated traffic-driving-network simulator (ITDNS). Finally, we discuss future enhancements that will promote best simulation practices for TCPS research.