Timing co-evolutionary path optimisation method for emergency vehicles considering the safe passage

AbstractEmergency vehicles encounter traffic accidents at intersections of the network frequently, which seriously threatens the lives of rescue teams and patients. To improve the driving safety and travel efficiency of emergency vehicles, this study proposes a new method of timing co-evolutionary path optimisation for emergency vehicles based on the safety evaluation of intersections in an uncertain environment. First, the associated benefit calculation of emergency priority for vehicles passing through the nodes and road sections is provided then. Second, a mathematical description of the emergency vehicle path optimisation model is proposed, and its primary optimisation objective is to minimise travel time. A secondary optimisation objective based on a flexible time window is proposed to optimise the risk coefficient of the rescue path. Finally, an improved ripple-spreading algorithm is designed to find the optimal path. The findings can help to provide auxiliary decision support for the path selection of emergency rescue actions.KEYWORDS: Emergency rescuetiming co-evolutionary path optimisationroad traffic safetyimproved ripple spreading algorithm AcknowledgementsJiabin Wu: Conceptualisation, Writing-Original draft, Methodology. Yifeng Lin: Software, Validation. Weiwei Qi: Supervision, Writing-Reviewing and Editing, Investigation.Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Additional informationFundingThis research is supported by the Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation [grant number 2022A1515111039]; Guangdong Province Philosophy and Social Science Planning Youth Project [grant number GD23YGL07]; and National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant number 71701070].