Trend analysis of machine learning techniques for traffic control based on bibliometrics

Machine learning in traffic control for intelligent transportation systems (ML-ITSTC) aims to enhance user coordination and safety within transportation networks, ultimately improving overall traffic system performance. ML-ITSTC is achieved by leveraging data to execute machine learning algorithms in intelligent transportation management and optimizing traffic flow to prevent or reduce congestion. This paper conducts bibliometric analysis to explain the research status, development trajectory, and challenges of ML-ITSTC, drawing insights from literature in the Scopus database literature covering 2013 to November 2023. The bibliometric analysis of ML-ITSTC includes: performance analysis, science mapping analysis, and citation analysis. The evaluation of ML algorithm trends over the 10-year span indicates that traffic prediction (TP), neural networks, and deep learning are frequently used keywords. Further, an examination of keywords used over the entire period and in 2023 (up to November) shows that reinforcement learning (RL) is the latest popular approach for traffic control in transportation. The results provide a comprehensive view of the opportunities and challenges in ML-ITSTC, covering data, models, and applications, offering researchers insights into the current and future directions of ML-ITSTC research.