BCAA

DriveSmart: Traffic Shockwaves Science has new theories about gridlock SOLVING THE MYSTERY of traffic snarl-ups took Japan's Dr. Yuki Sugiyama more than a decade — and a mathematical model based on shockwave theory. To see the latter in action: bcaa.com/shockwave N ext time you're stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic, think of Japan. That's where Nagoya University's Dr. Yuki Sugiyama has solved the mystery of why traffic jams occur. Sugiyama's research shows that when the loss of momentum so maddening to motorists can't be blamed on the usual suspects (collisions, construction or stalled vehicles), the cause is drivers themselves. Or, more specifically, traffic jams are caused by fluctuations in drivers' speeds on maxedto-capacity roads As Sugiyama puts it: "When a large number of vehicles, beyond the road capacity, are successively injected into the road, the density exceeds the critical value and the freeflow state becomes unstable." Translation: traffic jam. It sounds like a "Well, duh!" conclusion. But Sugiyama puzzled over the traffic jam dilemma for more than a decade before hitting upon a mathematical model of traffic flow based on shockwave theory. Its premise: just one small event, a driver slowing in dense traffic, for example, can have farreaching consequences – including massive snarl-ups. Still, the question remains: how to avoid traffic jams? Read on to find out how. –Lisa Ricciotti Illustration: Steve Adams p32-35,44-45_Aurora_DriveSmart.indd 45 The Psychology of Flow ■ THINK LIKE A ROAD ENGINEER The challenge: Efforts to smooth traffic flow through improved road design help, but reducing vehicle density is most important. Speed variations create shockwaves in heavy traffic but have little impact when cars are spread out. The solution: Build more roads. Over the past 20 years, the number of passenger vehicles in Canada has increased by 60 per cent. The increase in roadways for the same period? Twenty per cent. However, some critics say trying to solve congestion by increasing road capacity is like fighting obesity by letting your belt out another notch. ■ THINK LIKE AN ENVIRONMENTALIST The challenge: More roads is a band-aid solution. Instead, wean drivers off their auto addiction. The solution: Commuters need to opt more often for public transit, biking, carpooling and living within walking distance of their work. Cities need more light rail transit. ■ THINK LIKE AN ANDROID The challenge: The problem is obvious: humans. Robot-driven vehicles ae programmed to automatically maintain the same speed and distance from each other; human-driven vehicles aren't. The solution: Vehicles with drive-by-wire technology (adaptive cruise control, a.k.a. ACC). Their sophisticated electronics and radar automatically adjust vehicle speed and the distance between moving vehicles. No fluctuations + no sudden braking = no jammin'. ■ THINK LIKE A BUDDHIST The challenge: The shockwave aftermath isn't all about jams. Commuters are stressed by extended travel times, which rose by 17 per cent in B.C. between 1992 and 2005. Also, Canadians spend 32 working days yearly commuting, and health-care professionals are finding links between rising respiratory diseases and car emissions, plus higher obesity rates due in part to car usage. Finally, Transport Canada estimates the total cost of traffic delays at between $4.4 and $6.7 billion a year. The annual cost for commuters in Vancouver alone? $737 to $1,087 million. The solution: Find the road less travelled. Don't block road energy: slower drivers keep right. ■ THINK LIKE A GREEK The challenge: 470 to 570 million litres of fuel each year are wasted in big-city traffic jams, producing 1.2 to 1.4 megatonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually. The solution: Befriend technology. Tap into in-car or smart phone GPS systems that deliver real-time traffic maps; prior to departure, access apps or other software for the most time-efficient routes. ■ THINK POSITIVE The challenge: If drivers cause most traffic jams, then drivers can play a part in preventing them. The solution: Allow more travel time. Above all, don't add to the problem with bad driving. For example, impatient lane jumpers can cause sudden braking, which in itself disrupts traffic flow and can cause rear-enders. The no-jammin' goal: smooth, consistent speed with a minimum of erratic changes. —L.R. WESTWORLD >> S P R I N G 2 0 1 2 45 1/27/12 8:34:19 AM

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