Exploring the impact of connected and autonomous vehicles on mobility and environment at signalized intersections through vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) and infrastructure-to-vehicle (I2V) communications

Abstract

Connected and autonomous vehicle (CAV) technologies are expected to improve the quality of intersection operations through Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) and Infrastructure-to-Vehicle (I2V) communications. This study investigates mobility and environmental impacts of CAVs on signalized intersections. With I2V communication capability, CAVs are able to receive the real-time traffic signal information while approaching the intersections. A speed control strategy for CAVs is developed and optimal speeds for CAVs are calculated based on their locations and signal conditions. The analysis is conducted in a mixed traffic environment with combination of regular vehicles, autonomous vehicles, and CAVs. The vehicle delay and emissions at the selected intersection are quantified with respect to different market penetration rates of CAVs. The results indicate that CAVs can reduce vehicle delay by as much as 46.06% and 33.47% in emissions compared to regular vehicles. The proposed strategy can effectively improve the mobility and environment at signalized intersections.