CIRCLES

Using deep reinforcement learning and self-driving cars to improve traffic flow and reduce energy consumption

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What is CIRCLES?

Traffic jams and pollution? We help both with AI.

The Congestion Impacts Reduction via CAV-in-the-loop Lagrangian Energy Smoothing (CIRCLES) project aims to reduce instabilities in traffic flow, called "phantom jams," that cause congestion and wasted energy. If you have ever encountered a temporary traffic jam for no apparent reason, this might have been a phantom jam that occurred naturally because of human driving behavior.

Prior work on closed-course testing demonstrated that phantom jams can be reduced using autonomous vehicle technologies and specially-designed algorithms. The CIRCLES project seeks to extend this technology to real-world traffic, where reducing these negative traffic effects could provide ≥10% energy savings.

Preliminary vehicle and traffic flow detection in the I-24 Mobility Technology Interstate Observation Network (MOTION).
CIRCLES uses deep reinforcement learning to produce optimal traffic simulations. In this simulation, the autonomous vehicle learned to create a snake for optimal traffic flow.

Research Plan

Demonstrate traffic flow and energy savings in the real world.

The ambitious goals of the CIRCLES project will be achieved through a combination of computational development, vehicle technology deployment, and highway infrastructure construction. Novel research is being conducted in all of these areas by an interdisciplinary team across the United States.

Specific major research tasks include:
(1) Develop high-fidelity simulation tools that exhibit realistic traffic instabilities.
(2) Discover new techniques in multi-agent reinforcement learning.
(3) Develop control algorithms to transfer reinforcement learning policies to connected and autonomous vehicles.
(4) Develop, calibrate, and validate energy models for vehicles.
(5) Combine vehicle sensing, control, and communication technologies for traffic flow experiments.
(6) Build highway sensing infrastructure to measure traffic flow impacts by observing the position of every vehicle on the road.

Our Team

The CIRCLES Consortium consists of 5 lead researchers and 35 scholars coming from diverse academic backgrounds.

CIRCLES is led by UC Berkeley and the Institute of Transportation Studies (ITS) Berkeley, in coordination with Vanderbilt University, Temple University, Rutgers University-Camden, the Tennessee Department of Transportation, Toyota North America, and Nissan North America. The project is backed primarily by DOE and NSF funding. It will also provide the opportunity for engagement with major automotive partners and federal agencies (e.g., DOE, DOT).

Alexandre Bayen, ITS Director and Liao-Cho Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, UC Berkeley

Maria Laura Delle Monache, Assistant Professor, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, UC Berkeley

Jonathan Lee, Senior Engineering Manager & Project Coordinator, Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, UC Berkeley

Benedetto Piccoli, Vice Chancellor for Research and Joseph and Loretta Lopez Chair Professor, Department of Mathematical Sciences, Rutgers University-Camden

Benjamin Seibold, Professor, Department of Mathematics, Temple University

Jonathan Sprinkle, Professor, Department of Computer Science, Vanderbilt University

Daniel Work, Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Vanderbilt University

View the entire team

Products

FLOW

A deep reinforcement learning framework for mixed autonomy traffic.

Strym

A Python package for real-time logging, analysis and visualization of vehicle data from CAN bus.

I-24 MOTION

Interstate camera tracking for high-resolution vehicle trajectory data collection.

Libpanda

A software library and utilities for interfacing with vehicle hardware systems.

News

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Rutgers-Camden Stories

Road Scholars: Rutgers–Camden Partners on World’s Largest Traffic Experiment to Test AI-Equipped Vehicles

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TechXplore

Massive traffic experiment pits machine learning against 'phantom' jams

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PR Newswire

AI-powered cruise control system may pave the way to fuel efficiency and traffic relief

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Vanderbilt News

AI-powered cruise control system may pave the way to fuel efficiency and traffic relief

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WKRN News Channel 2 Nashville

Adaptive cruise control technology could ease phantom traffic jams, Vanderbilt study finds

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Popular Science

An AI that lets cars communicate might reduce traffic jams

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Fortune

You’re a worse driver than a robot: Research shows gaper blocks and looky-loos aren’t an issue with AI

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The Associated Press

Researchers: AI in connected cars eased rush hour congestion

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Berkeley News

Massive traffic experiment pits machine learning against ‘phantom’ jams

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KTVU Channel 2 News Bay Area

UC Berkeley researchers test-drive new AI cars

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Main Street Nashville

Traffic research project turns I-24 into driving lab

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Rutgers-Camden Stories

Driving Innovation: Rutgers–Camden Partners on World's Largest Open-Track Experiment to Test AI-Equipped Vehicles

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ABC 7 News Bay Area

Bay Area researchers behind world's largest open-track traffic experiment

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WSMV News Channel 4 Nashville

I-24 traffic experiment using technology to solve traffic jams

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WABI News Channel 5 Maine

I-24 traffic experiment using technology to solve traffic jams

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Fox 17 WZTV Nashville

World's largest traffic experiment being conducted in Nashville along I-24

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WTVF News Channel 5 Nashville

'An MRI for traffic:' Open road testing now live on I-24

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WKRN News Channel 2 Nashville

Traffic experiment to launch on I-24 in Nashville

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Motor

World's largest open-track traffic experiment being conducted in Nashville Nov. 14-18

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Tullahoma News

World's largest open-track traffic experiment being conducted in Nashville Nov. 14--18

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PR Newswire

World's largest open-track traffic experiment being conducted in Nashville Nov. 14--18

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TED Ed

Professor Seibold educates on phantom traffic jams

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American Association for the Advancement of Science

UA Engineers Collaborate on $3.5M DOE Traffic-Flow Project

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Built In

Machine Learning to Ease Traffic and Pollution Woes

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Berkeley Institute of Transporation Studies

CIRCLES Project Kicks Off Multi-Campus Traffic Smoothing Study

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CST @ Temple University

Temple Mathematician Part of $3.5M Project to Improve Traffic Flow and Fuel Savings

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Berkeley Lab

Machine Learning to Help Optimize Traffic and Reduce Pollution

Collaborators