More robust and better: a multiple kernel support vector machine ensemble approach for traffic incident detection

This paper presents a multiple kernel support vector machine (MKL‐SVM) ensemble algorithm to detect traffic incidents. It uses resampling technology to generate training set, test set, and training subset firstly; then uses different training subsets to train individual MKL‐SVM classifiers; and finally introduces ensemble methods to construct MKL‐SVM ensemble to detect traffic incidents. Extensive experiments have been performed to evaluate the performances of the four algorithms: standard SVM, SVM ensemble, MKL‐SVM, and the proposed algorithm (MKL‐SVM ensemble). The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm has the best comprehensive performances in traffic incidents detection. To achieve better performances, the proposed algorithm needs less individual classifiers to construct the ensemble than SVM ensemble algorithm. Thus, compared with SVM ensemble algorithm, the complexity of the ensemble classifier of the proposed algorithm is reduced greatly. Conveniently, the proposed algorithm also avoids the burden of selecting the appropriate kernel function and parameters. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.