April 22, 2011

Title

Dynamic Eco-Driving: the Potential to Improve Fuel Economy and Reduce Emissions

Time

1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m

Location

1065 Kemper Hall, UC Davis

Abstract

Improving vehicle fuel economy and reducing CO2 emissions is a key goal of the automotive sector. To meet this goal, much effort has been put into improving engine and drivetrain technology, making vehicle lighter while maintaining safety, and using fuels that are less carbon intensive. As a complementary approach, there has been recent research and development to use technology that allows for real-time modifications of how the vehicle operates on the road. Among these is the concept of dynamic eco-driving which consists of providing real-time information to drivers in order to optimize driving efficiency in terms of fuel consumption and emissions. Common examples include items such as individual vehicle eco-driving advice, intelligent speed adaptation, arterial corridor velocity/acceleration management, and eco-routing. In this presentation, several of these applications will be described in detail and experimental results will be given based on both simulated and real world testing. Each of these different applications can potentially reduce fuel consumption and emissions by 5% to 20%. These technologies are considered to be “ off-cycle CO2 reduction” techniques, since they are not captured as part of the overall vehicle fuel economy certification procedure. A key challenge is determine how “ credit” can be acquired for the implementation of these technologies.

Biographical Sketch

Professor Barth received his B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering/
Computer Science from the University of Colorado in 1984, and M.S. (1985) and Ph.D. (1990)
degrees in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of California, Santa
Barbara. Dr. Barth joined the University of California-Riverside in 1991, conducting research
in Electrical Engineering and at the Center for Environmental Research and Technology (CE-
CERT), where he is currently director. Dr. Barth’s research focuses on applying engineering
system concepts and automation technology to Transportation Systems, and in particular how it
relates to energy and air quality issues. Dr. Barth is a member of the Institute of Electrical and
Electronic Engineers (IEEE), Transportation Research Board’s Transportation and Air Quality
Committee, and New Technology Committee, and has also served on several National Research
Council (NRC) committees. Current research interests include Intelligent Transportation
Systems, Transportation/ Emissions Modeling, Vehicle Activity Analysis, Electric Vehicle
Technology, and Advanced Sensing and Control.

Professor Barth received his B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering/ Computer Science from the University of Colorado in 1984, and M.S. (1985) and Ph.D. (1990) degrees in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Dr. Barth joined the University of California-Riverside in 1991, conducting research in Electrical Engineering and at the Center for Environmental Research and Technology (CE-CERT), where he is currently director. Dr. Barth’s research focuses on applying engineering system concepts and automation technology to Transportation Systems, and in particular how it relates to energy and air quality issues. Dr. Barth is a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), Transportation Research Board’s Transportation and Air Quality Committee, and New Technology Committee, and has also served on several National Research Council (NRC) committees. Current research interests include Intelligent Transportation Systems, Transportation/ Emissions Modeling, Vehicle Activity Analysis, Electric Vehicle Technology, and Advanced Sensing and Control.

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