A Theoretical Validation of the Moving Observer Method

The moving observer method, proposed almost 70 years ago, was found to yield traffic parameter estimates that are, in terms of accuracy, very similar to the estimates obtained by using the classical stationary observer method. Over the years, the moving observer method was validated either experimentally or else statistically by showing that the traffic estimates it produces are statistically indistinguishable from those produced by the stationary observer method. However, to the best of our knowledge, the moving observer method was not justified theoretically. The main contribution of this work is to offer the first theoretical justification of the moving observer method.