A Social Value Orientation-Based Priority Swapping Algorithm for Efficient Autonomous Intersection Management

Efficient coordination of autonomous vehicles at intersections is essential for minimizing delays and ensuring safety. Traditional approaches such as First-Come-First-Serve (FCFS) often overlook the potential benefits of vehicle cooperation. In this work, we propose a novel Social Value Orientation (SVO)based algorithm that enhances intersection management by allowing vehicles to cooperate based on their social preferences, ranging from egoistic to prosocial behavior. Our algorithm enables pairwise reservation swapping, improving system-wide performance without compromising individual utility. Simulation results demonstrate a significant reduction in vehicle wait times, especially in systems with a higher proportion of prosocial vehicles. This work presents a promising step toward socially-compliant, efficient coordination policies for future autonomous traffic systems.