Inferring Traffic Control Policies with Supervised Learning: A Case Study on Max Pressure

Smart traffic systems, like those using wellestablished methods such as SCOOT, SCATS and TUC, aim to improve traffic flow by dynamically adjusting signal timings based on real-time traffic conditions. Traffic engineers need to understand the objective functions behind traffic signal control to analyze, improve, and optimize network performances. However, different jurisdictions, different operators and competing interests imply that the underlying objective functions governing traffic signal control might not be publicly known with sufficient detail (e.g. to preserve Intellectual Property Rights). A method for discovering these functions is therefore needed, particularly to enable better cooperation among stakeholders. In this work, we train computer models to mimic the decisions made by smart traffic light systems. Using data from a simulated traffic network (with virtual sensors tracking vehicles), we test a variety of supervised models, ranging from simple decision trees to more complex neural networks. Our results show these models can accurately mimic the underlying system's actions, achieving up to 99% accuracy. This work demonstrates that supervised learning can serve as a powerful tool for uncovering hidden traffic control functions by training models to replicate the system's decisions. By analyzing these models, we can then infer the key factors influencing signal control, thereby gaining insights into the underlying objective function.