Urban traffic system, computer networks and powergrids: different systems – same solutions?

Abstract

In the last decade, technical and logistic systems became more and more specialised, complex and in most cases globally distributed. Already today, it is not possible to oversee or control them from any centralised instance. Nevertheless, from the modelling point of view and their mathematical background those networks seem to have a lot in common. The author gives a comparison of urban traffic systems, peer-to-peer computer networks and power grids. In a set of examples will be shown, how an interdisciplinary application of methods and principles from one system may contribute to the progress of other ones. Last but not least, it is intended to show that self-organisation will be the key issue to guarantee the efficient work of those systems in the future. We argue that selforganisation not only come along with structure building but also demonstrate that a suitable structure building may support the emergence of work division and cooperation.