Simulation/Emergency

Emergency Vehicle simulation#

The simulation of emergency vehicles and their special rights is partially possible with SUMO. Additional capabilities are planned for the future.

  • Blue light device: Driving in a virtual middle lane on a multi-lane road: This is supported by using the sublane model. Other traffic participants are forced to form a virtual middle lane (rescue lane) to let the emergency vehicle pass if the vehicle has a blue light device. A blue light device indicates that the emergency vehicle is driving with special rights (using blue flashing light and sirene). All vehicles in front of the emergency vehicle in a distanc of 25 meters are driving to sides of the edges. Only the emergency vehicle is able use this virtual middle lane. After the emergency vehicle has passed the vehicles they are driving like a normal vehicle again (with the same lateral Alignement). Additionally, the emergency vehicle with the bluelight device is able to violate red traffic lights.
  • Disregarding right-of-way and traffic lights: This is supported by using the TraCI 'speed mode' command to disable intersection related safety checks.
  • Exceeding the speed limit: This is supported by setting the vType-attribute speedFactor (a value of 1.5 allows driving with 150% of the road speed limit).
  • Overtaking on the right: This is always permitted for vehicles with vClass="emergency"

Visualization#

The visualization of emergency vehicles is supported in SUMO-GUI. When setting the vType-attribute guiShape="emergency" a white vehicle with the international sign for first aid is drawn. Furthermore a police car will be drawn with vType-attribute guiShape="police" and a firebrigade with vType-attribute guiShape="firebrigade". When additionally setting the vType-attribute vClass="emergency" a blue flashing light will be drawn also.

<File:Ev.png>

References#

Bieker, Laura (2015) Traffic safety evaluations for Emergency Vehicles. Young Researchers Seminar, 17.-19. Juni 2015, Rom, Italien.

Bieker, Laura (2011) Emergency Vehicle Prioritization using Vehicle-To-Vehicle Communication. Young Researchers Seminar, 8.-10. Jun. 2011, Kopenhagen, Dänemark.