Important changes compared to previous versions

Only particularly noteworthy changes are listed here in excerpt form. These relate to new and modified attributes or are intended to inform you that your networks, scripts, etc. might need to be checked or adjusted. The complete list of changes for service packs and versions can be found in the release notes:

  • ReleaseNotes_Vissim_<language ID>.pdf in the ..\Doc\<language ID> directory of your Vissim installation.
  • Detailed descriptions of new and enhanced features can be found in the Vissim - What’s new.pdf file in the ..\Doc\<language ID> directory of your Vissim installation.
Important changes in Vissim 2026 compared to Vissim 2025
  • New attributes for free lane changes enable configuration of the accepted deceleration of trailing vehicles on the target lane
  • Accepted deceleration (trailing vehicle) (free lane change) – Minimum
  • Accepted deceleration (trailing vehicle) (free lane change) – Rise time
  • Accepted deceleration (trailing vehicle) (free lane change) – Maximum

  • The new Lane change speed difference attribute for free lane changes is used to configure the difference between the current speed and the desired speed of a vehicle that is necessary to perform a lane change.

  • The defaults.inpx file contains new and modified Desired Acceleration Functions, Driving Behaviors, Link Behavior Types, Vehicle Classes, Vehicle Compositions and Vehicle Types for Bicycles.

Important changes in Vissim 2025 compared to Vissim 2024

  • The new Walking attractiveness attribute allows for modeling scenarios in which certain areas of a larger area are preferred or disliked by pedestrians. Values greater than 100% make the use of an area more attractive, even if this means taking a detour.

  • The new Fractional effective concentration (smoke) attribute for pedestrians complements the Fractional effective dose (asphyxia), Fractional effective dose (convective heat) and Fractional irritant concentration attributes for the analysis of the impact of smoke on the pedestrians.

  • The new Direction HCM attribute for movements at nodes provides a description of the turn based on the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM).

  • The new Automotive license module includes functionality that is particularly useful for applications where Vissim provides surrounding traffic for an ego vehicle to be tested. Automotive enables simple surrounding traffic to be generated, a high calculation frequency of up to 1000 time steps/simulation second, and the simultaneous execution of multiple simulations for the driving simulator interface. In this case, the new version of DRIVINGSIMULATOR-PROXY.DLL must be used.

Important changes in Vissim 2024 compared to Vissim 2023

3D models in the format *.v3d are saved to the installation directory ..\Exe\3DModels\_Legacy up until Vissim 2024. This directory will no longer be available from Vissim 2025. If you need 3D models in the *.v3d file format from Vissim 2025, simply copy the necessary files from a prior version of Vissim 2025 to your preferred data directory.

Important changes compared to versions prior to Vissim 2023 (SP1)
  • Importing models from Synchro is no longer supported. Instead, use PTV Vistro. PTV Vistro offers convenient functions for importing and editing models from Synchro.
Important changes compared to versions prior to Vissim 2021 (SP 00)

DriverModel.DLL interface: The Exe\DriverModelData\ subdirectory is no longer needed. The absolute path to this subdirectory is no longer passed to the DLL. A DLL that expects to be passed the path to this subdirectory might no longer work.

Important changes compared to versions prior to Vissim 2020 (SP 00)

Vissim can usually also be run on most other versions of the Microsoft Windows operating system than those specified in the system requirements, as long as they are currently supported by Microsoft (see  Windows lifecycle fact sheet). System requirements for Vissim can be found on our webpage  System requirements for the PTV Vision software products.

Important changes compared to versions prior to Vissim 11.00-02

Vehicle simulation: In the Driving Behavior window, the Smooth closeup behavior option is removed. Smooth closeup behavior is enabled for all vehicles by default. You can no longer access the setting via the user interface or the COM interface. A network file from a version prior to 11.00-02, in which the Smooth closeup behavior option is not selected, can be opened in version 11.00-02 and higher. In this case, the option is ignored.

Superordinate topic:

Basics