Towards a fundamental understanding on Microscopic Transportation Simulation of Autonomous Delivery Robots

Abstract

A large number of studies were focused into the adoption of ADRs in the current transportation and logistics, safety in practical applications, and deployment of advanced robotic technology. Only a few contributed to the simulation of microscopic transportation for autonomous delivery robots. Many researchers emphasized the importance of overcoming modelling gaps and covering the scope of simulation as realistically as possible in order to obtain reliable results from the simulation. The versatility of the technology, the nature of the logistics and components of ADR in the real world, and other challenges present challenges to the transportation modeller when it comes to thinking about the possible representation of ADRs in the simulation environment. The gradual development of both computational capacity and underlying behavioural patterns in microscopic traffic simulators opens the door for researchers to develop realistic ADRs model in the microscopic transportation simulation to investigate road interaction and the resulting impacts. This review explored and organized the currently available technologies, operational methods, and simulation components that need to be considered when modelling ADRs in microscopic traffic simulation. Furthermore, this review provides a basic understanding for modellers to address the potential challenges to cope on recent technological developments in ADR modelling and simulation.