A driver who
has mastered eco-driving can substantially reduce fuel consumption and
thereby reduce carbon emissions. The Volvo Group has conducted research
on a system, whereby technology aids the driver in driving in an even
more environmentally economical manner.
The Volvo Group works
consistently to improve the fuel efficiency of the company’s diesel
engines. Since diesel technology is an old and well-developed
technology, the improvements made by the Group result in individual
percentage-point gains.
However, drivers can
achieve significantly larger improvements through their driving
approach. Eco-driving courses are successful. Driver’s learn to operate
the vehicle in a more environmentally efficient manner and can often
achieve fuel savings in excess of 10 percent. A common problem however
is that many drivers fall back into old driving routines after a period.
For the past three
years, the Volvo Group has participated in eCoMove, a European Union
research project, in collaboration with a long list of different
companies. One of the areas under eCoMove that the Volvo Group has
conducted research into was methods of consistently aiding drivers to
drive as fuel efficiently as possible.
“The project includes a
dashboard screen that provides the driver with information about
appropriate behavior,” says Guillaume Vernet, Project Manager at
Intelligent Transport Systems at the Volvo Group in Lyon, France.
Eco-driving includes elements such as avoiding hard acceleration and maximizing utilization of engine braking.
“The control system in
the truck or coach senses if the driver is accelerating too hard, if
the driver’s foot moves too quickly from the accelerator to the brake or
if the vehicle is in too low a gear. This information is displayed on
the screen for the driver as a reminder of what eco-driving is all
about.”
The next step is to
incorporate map data and GPS. While drivers can plan for eventualities
they can see in front of them, in heavy vehicles, it is advantageous
with substantially better forward planning than that.
“By incorporating map
data and GPS, the driver can be provided advance information of such
items as an upcoming roundabout or a lowering of the speed limit from 90
to 70 km/h,” says Guillaume Vernet. “The screen informs the driver that
it is time to ease off the accelerator and engage engine braking.”
The third stage
included in the research project is wireless communication with traffic
lights that signal the time remaining until the lights change to red or
green. The driver thus knows what speed to maintain to avoid stopping at
the traffic light.
“The highest consumption of fuel is through acceleration from stationary.”
The Volvo Group has
used professional drivers when testing the new tool, both in a simulator
and on the road, and the response has been extremely positive.
“It is difficult to
provide a general figure about how much fuel can be saved from this
technology,” says Guillaume Vernet. “But, in areas with frequent changes
in speed, fuel consumption is about 10-15 percent lower.”
“For haulage
companies, this can represent substantial financial savings over a year
and a considerable boost toward a better environment.”
eCoMove is a
3-year integrated project (April 2010 - November 2013), co-funded by the
European Commission under the 7th Framework Programme of Research and
Technological Development. This project has created integrated
cooperative solutions for road transport to help drivers, freight and
road operators save unnecessary kilometres driven (optimised routing);
save fuel (eco-driving support); and manage traffic more efficiently
(optimised network management).
Reporters who want
more information, please contact Per-Martin Johansson, External
Communications Director, Volvo Group, +46 31 322 52 00, per-martin.johansson@volvo.com
