Game theory applications in traffic management: A review of authority-based travel modelling

With the exponential growth in urbanization, urban traffic congestion has become a challenging task with an adverse impact on the economic structure and ecosystem. Managing traffic congestion involves the interaction of multiple decision-makers (i.e., travelers and authorities). Accordingly, these are well-suited to being analyzed under the guise of game theory. Within the transport literature, there are several models that incorporate game theory concepts. While game theory can be very useful for analyzing traffic congestion management, it does have some significant drawbacks that need to be acknowledged. Thus, this manuscript presents a state-of-the-art review of game theory as applied to urban traffic congestion management systems from an authority-based perspective. Authority-based congestion management systems provide a detailed discussion on how game theory models have enhanced traffic signal control efficiency, identified optimal congestion pricing mechanisms and detailed development in mode choice modelling. Apart from the conventional topologies, this manuscript covers the comparative criticism of the various proposed game-theoretic models in terms of mode choice, traffic signal control, and congestion pricing. Further, based on the comparative critiques, this manuscript provides research directions for researchers, engineers, policymakers, and industrial communities.