University of California Transportation Center

It has been contended that in-laboratory experimentation with interactive microcomputer simulation can substitute for the lack of real-world applications and provide a useful approach to data collection and driver behavior analysis. With the rapid development but limited real-world deployment of Advanced Traveler Information Systems, interactive simulation has quickly grown in popularity among researchers studying dynamic driver behavior. This paper discusses the development and implementation of FASTCARS (Freeway and Arterial Street Traffic Conflict Arousal and Resolution Simulator), an interactive microcomputer-based animated simulator designed for in-laboratory experimentation to assist in the estimation and calibration of predictive models of driver behavior under the influence of real-time information.