Abstract: In map generalization, spatial conflicts may occur either between different sections of one single road or between two different roads. Displacement is required when such conflicts emerge. At present, the energy minimization approach is the dominant method for understanding road displacement; but model parameter control and displacement propagation need to be studied further in order to control road displacement effectively. The energy minimization model is improved by setting up obstacle points, calculating distance of displacement propagation, and adjusting model parameters automatically. These improvement measures are all guided by cartographic rules. The effectiveness and availability of this proposed method are verified by experiments.