Routing to reduce congestion

A system for synchronizing traffic flow thereby reducing traffic congestion within a system roadway comprising a plurality of roadways, comprising:

• at least one processing unit;
• and
• at least one memory, communicatively coupled to the at least one processing unit and containing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing unit, perform a method, comprising:
• receiving a re-route plan request from a first vehicle under automated control traveling on a current system roadway, the re-route plan request indicating a new destination;
• determining a plurality of actual time slots for a first roadway that merges with the current system roadway at a merge point based on a vehicle size and a set speed limit, wherein the plurality of actual time slots has a flow along the first roadway based on the set speed limit;
• based on the flow of the plurality of actual time slots, determining that a first actual time slot of the plurality of actual time slots is projected to pass the merge point at a particular time;
• generating one or more re-route plans based on the merge point and one or more exit points associated with the new destination;
• identifying a top priority re-route plan of the one or more re-route plans, wherein the top priority re-route plan comprises at least the current system roadway and the first roadway;
• identifying a plurality of re-route time slots along the top priority re-route plan;
• identifying a plurality of available re-route time slots along the top priority re-route plan, wherein each available re-route time slot is projected to be available from the merge point to at least one of the one or more exit points along the top priority re-route plan, wherein identifying the plurality of available re-route time slots comprises:
• projecting that at least one re-route time slot will be occupied by a second vehicle on the first roadway at the merge point, wherein the projecting is based at least in part on route plan information for the second vehicle;
• and
• excluding the at least one re-route time slot from the plurality of available re-route time slots;
• identifying a first feasible re-route time slot (FFRRTS) that is calculated to have a lowest projected travel time from among the plurality of available re-route time slots, wherein the FFRRTS corresponds to the first actual time slot of the plurality of actual time slots;
• and
• merging the first vehicle into the first actual time slot on the first roadway at the particular time.

A computer storage medium, having computer-readable instructions stored thereon for synchronizing traffic flow thereby reducing traffic congestion within a system roadway comprising a plurality of roadways, performing a method comprising:

• receiving a selected route plan from a first vehicle under manual control, the selected route plan indicating an entry point, at least a first roadway and a second roadway, and a destination;
• determining a plurality of actual time slots for the first roadway adjacent to the entry point based on a vehicle size and a set speed limit, wherein the plurality of actual time slots has a flow along the first roadway based on the set speed limit;
• based on the flow of the plurality of actual time slots, determining that a first actual time slot of the plurality of actual time slots is projected to pass the entry point at a particular time;
• identifying a plurality of route time slots along the selected route plan;
• identifying a plurality of available route time slots along the selected route plan, wherein each available route time slot is projected to be available from the entry point to at least one of one or more exit points associated with the destination along the selected route plan, wherein identifying the plurality of available route time slots comprises:
• identifying a merge point between the first roadway and the second roadway;
• projecting that at least one route time slot will be occupied by a second vehicle on the second roadway at the merge point, wherein the projecting is based at least in part on route plan information for the second vehicle;
• and
• excluding the at least one route time slot from the plurality of available route time slots;
• identifying a first feasible route time slot (FFRTS) that is calculated to have a lowest projected travel time from among the plurality of available route time slots, wherein the FFRTS corresponds to the first actual time slot of the plurality of actual time slots;
• taking automated control of the first vehicle;
• and
• launching the first vehicle into the first actual time slot on the first roadway at the particular time.