Improving the performance of TAntNet-2 by using multi forward scouts

Abstract

Dynamic Traffic Routing System is an important intelligent transport system that is used to direct vehicles to good routes and consequently reduce congestion on the road network. The performance of dynamic routing system depends on a dynamic routing algorithm. AntNet algorithm is a routing algorithm inspired from the foraging behavior of ants. TAntNet is a family of dynamic routing algorithms that uses a threshold travel time to enhance the performance of AntNet algorithm when applied to traffic road networks. This paper presents new improvements on TAntNet algorithms. The new improving TAntNet algorithm uses Multi forward agents instead of one compared with AntNet and TAntNet-2. The new technique saves the discovered routes of each of the forward agents and the corresponding backward ant uses the best of them. Experiments showed better performance for the proposed new mechanism of launching multi forward agents for each single agent compared with the old mechanisms of launching only one forward agent for each backward agent.