SumoWare: Bridging SUMO and Autoware to Assess AV-Induced Traffic Impact

This paper introduces SumoWare, an interface integrating state-of-the-art platforms, SUMO and Autoware, to enable realistic evaluation of autonomous vehicle (AV) behavior in diverse traffic scenarios. Addressing the critical need for flexible and reproducible testing environments, SumoWare establishes seamless bidirectional communication, ensuring precise synchronization between the two systems. Experimental results demonstrate strong spatiotemporal consistency between the platforms and, based on a case study, reveal the implications of default conservative AV behavior on traffic flow, including reduced capacity and earlier congestion. These findings highlight the pressing need to refine planning and control strategies to mitigate the overly cautious nature of AV systems and optimize their integration into real-world traffic.