We propose a model of the driver perception suited for microscopic, agent-based traffic simulations. The model includes both top-down and bottom-up perception, and takes into account the limited amount of perceptive resource which gain access to short-term memory. The driving task is split into sub-tasks, which can be activated in parallel (e.g. car following and crossroads passing). Perceived entities (percepts) as well as subtasks are ranked with respect to their subjective value, and due to

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... he bounded perception, only the more "valuable" percepts are sent to the decision module of the cognitive model. The competition among percepts to gain access to the short-term memory simulates attentional processes. A computational implementation of the model is proposed for the driver, using agent-based modeling. It is implemented in a traffic simulation environment and allows the driver-agent to manage the conflicts and the longitudinal space in the middle of the crossroads. This way, we improve the realism of the simulation. Furthermore, this model can lead to a new way of identifying and explaining near accidents. We illustrate some benefits for a microscopic traffic simulation at crossroads in two situations. The first