Two eco-driving applications developed and evaluated for reductions in fuel consumption and emissions.
Blacksburg, Virginia, United States
Roanoke, Virginia, United States
Developing Eco-Adaptive Cruise Control Systems
Summary Information
The study demonstrates the feasibility of two eco-driving applications, aiming to reduce vehicle fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Specifically, the study develops an eco-drive system that combines eco-cruise control (ECC) logic with state-of-the-art car-following models and evaluates Eco-Lanes and speed harmonization (SPD-HARM) applications.
Methodology
The eco-drive system makes use of topographic information, the spacing between the subject and lead vehicle, and a desired (or target) vehicle speed and distance headway as input variables. It was studied on a segment of I-81 between Roanoke and Blacksburg, Virginia.
The Eco-Lanes and SPD-HARM applications were evaluated using the INTEGRATION microscopic traffic simulation software.
Findings
The study demonstrated that the proposed Eco-Lanes system based on eco-cruise control can significantly improve fuel efficiency and air quality while reducing average vehicle travel time and total system delay. In this case study, compared to the base-case scenario, the Eco-Lanes system reduced travel time by 8.5 percent and reduced delay by 23 percent.
