Macro autonomous traffic flow model with traffic jerk and downstream vehicle information

Purpose To reflect the future traffic environment, the authors simultaneously incorporate the electronic throttle (ET) and traffic jerk into the traditional continuum model. The authors derive the stability criterion of the enhanced continuum model via the perturbation method. Design/methodology/approach To facilitate insight into the propagation and evolution mechanism of traffic jam near the stability condition, the authors use the nonlinear stability analysis method to derive the KdV-Burgers equation of proposed continuum model. Finally, the numerical example verified that the new item of ET opening angle and traffic jerk have a positive impact on suppressing traffic congestion and improving road robustness. Findings The new item of ET opening angle and traffic jerk have a positive impact on suppressing traffic congestion and improving road robustness. Originality/value To better reflect the real traffic environment, a extend continuum model taking into account the ET opening angle and traffic jerk effect is presented. The stability criterion of the extended model is got based on perturbation method. The evolution characteristics and propagation mechanism of the traffic jam near the neutral stability condition are further received by deriving the KdV-Burgers equation in the nonlinear stability analysis. From simulation, we found that the ET opening angle information and traffic jerk have a significant effect on the traffic jam.