Traffic Flow Outlier Detection for Smart Mobility Using Gaussian Process Regression Assisted Stochastic Differential Equations

Qixiu Cheng, Guiqi Dai, Bowei Ru, Zhiyuan Liu, Wei Ma, Hongzhe Liu and Ziyuan Gu

Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, 2025, vol. 193, issue C

Abstract: Current methods for detecting outliers in traffic streaming data often struggle to capture real-time dynamic changes in traffic conditions and differentiate between genuine changes and anomalies. This study proposes a novel approach to outlier detection in traffic streaming data that effectively addresses stochasticity and uncertainty in observations. The proposed method utilizes Stochastic Differential Equations (SDEs) and Gaussian Process Regression (GPR). By employing SDEs, we can capture drift and diffusion estimates in traffic streaming data, providing a more comprehensive modeling of the data generation process. Integrating GPR allows precise Bayesian posterior inferences for outlier detection within the SDE framework. To improve practicality, we introduce a flexible threshold-setting mechanism using statistical testing to control the false positive rate. This adaptability helps strike a balance between model fitting and complexity in outlier detection. Compared to traditional SDE-based methods, our SDE-GPR outlier detection method demonstrates enhanced robustness and better adaptability to the complexities of traffic systems. This is evidenced through an empirical study using time series data collected in California, USA. Overall, this study introduces a more advanced and accurate approach to outlier detection in traffic streaming data, paving the way for improved real-time traffic condition monitoring and management.

Keywords: Outlier detection; Stochastic differential equations; Streaming data; Gaussian process regression (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1016/j.tre.2024.103840

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