A better understanding of the effect of driving conditions on the energy consumed by cars can help to reduce the amount of fuel used by road transport. this report describes an instrumented car capable of gathering realistic data in a wide variety of surroundings, ranging from motorways to heavily congested urban roads. Subsequent computer analysis yields information on parameters such as speed, acceleration, throttle opening, engine power output, engine efficiency and fuel consumption. A series of distributions presents this information in a form which emphasises important trends without obscuring significant detail. Preliminary tests in central glasgow have demonstrated the value of the instrumented car and supporting system. The results also provide information on the repeatability of fuel consumption measurements, on the effects of traffic management and on urban driving patterns. (Author/publisher)
Abstract