DETERMINING A LANE CHANGE DECISION BASED ON A DOWNSTREAM TRAFFIC STATE

A system for determining a lane change decision based on a downstream traffic state can include a processor, a communications device, and a memory. The processor can be disposed on an ego vehicle. The memory can store an acceleration gain module and a communications module. The acceleration gain module can include instructions that cause the processor to: (1) obtain, via the communications device and from a monitoring system, information about an end of stopped or slow moving downstream traffic in a lane and (2) calculate a result of an equation for the lane change decision. The equation can include information about virtual vehicles positioned near the end or a geographical location. The communications module can include instructions that cause the processor to cause a signal, with information based on the result, to be sent to a component of the ego vehicle for an action to be performed by the component.