The State of Bicycle Modeling in SUMO

Abstract

Microscopic traffic simulation tools provide ever-increasing value in the design and implementation of motor vehicle transport systems. Research and development of automated and intelligent technologies have highlighted the usefulness of simulation tools and development efforts have accelerated in recent years. However, the majority of traffic simulation software is developed with a focus on motor vehicle traffic and has limited capabilities in the simulation of bicycles and other micro-mobility modes. Bicycles, e-bikes and cargo bikes represent a non-negligible modal share in many urban areas and their impact on the operation, efficiency and safety of traffic systems must be considered in any comprehensive study. The Differentiation between different types of micro-mobility modes, including microcars, e-kick scooters, different types of bicycles and other personal mobility devices, has not yet attracted enough attention in the development of simulation software which creates difficulties in including these modes in simulation-based studies. On November 25^th, 2022, members of the SUMO team at DLR organized a workshop to assess the state of bicycle simulation in SUMO, identify shortcomings and missing capabilities and prioritize the order in which bicycle traffic related features should be modified or implemented in the future. In this paper, different aspects of simulating bicycle traffic in SUMO are examined and an overview of the results of the workshop discussions is given. Some suggestions for the future development of SUMO emerging from this workshop, are presented as a conclusion.