Stochastic boundary conditions in the deterministic Nagel-Schreckenberg traffic model - art. no. 016107

We consider open systems where cars move according to the deterministic Nag el-Schreckenberg rules [K. Nagel and M. Schreckenberg, J. Phys. I 2, 2221 ( 1992)] and with maximum velocity v(max)>1. which is an extension of the asy mmetric exclusion process (ASEP). It turns out that the behavior of the sys tem is dominated by two features: (a) the competition between the left and the right boundary, (b) the development of so-called ''buffers" due to the hindrance that an injected car feels from the front car at the beginning of the system. As a consequence, there is a first-order phase transition betw een the free flow and the congested phase accompanied by the collapse of th e buffers, and the phase diagram essentially differs from that for v(max)=1 (AASEP).