Traffic Flow Problems in One-Dimensional Inhomogeneous Media

Abstract
Traffic flow problems in one-dimensional inhomogeneous media are studied using cellular automaton models. The effects of (i) a single impurity site, at which a car takes longer time to pass through, in an otherwise uniform medium, (ii) the addition of a finite concentration of overtaking sites that can accomodate two cars at the same time, and (iii) the presence of both an impurity site and overtaking sites are studied. Analytic expressions for the average car velocity and flux in the long time limit as a function of car density are derived.