The realtime simulation of this network requires a very high computational performance. To achieve this performance, we are using a parallel architecture. Our current implementation is based on PVM , which has the advantage of being available on a great number of parallel architectures, spanning from workstation clusters up to high-end massive parallel computers. Our social and economic life is based on mobility of people and goods. Moreover, in industrialized countries a big part of the Gross National Product is absorbed by transportation.
Traffic is also one of the biggest sources of air pollution.
The amount of traffic in the EC is still increasing. New estimates indicate that it will have doubled till 2010. So it seems to be necessary to avoid, shift and optimize traffic. Traffic shows some characteristics of a complex system. There are stable and unstable states, deterministic, chaotic or even stochastic behaviour with phase transitions, fractal dimensions and self-organized criticality.