A prototype fuel-efficiency support tool

An effective way to reduce fuel consumption in the short run is to induce a change in driver behaviour. If drivers are prepared to change their drivin g habits they can complete the same journeys within similar travel times, b ut using significantly less fuel. In this paper, a prototype fuel-efficienc y support tool is presented which helps drivers make the necessary behaviou ral adjustments. The support tool includes a normative model that back-calculates the minima l fuel consumption for manoeuvres carried out. If actual fuel consumption d eviates from this optimum, the support tool presents advice to the driver o n how to change his or her behaviour. To take account of the temporal natur e of the driving task, advice is generated at two levels: tactical and stra tegic. Evaluation of the new support tool by means of a driving simulator experime nt revealed that drivers were able to reduce overall fuel consumption by 16 % compared with 'normal driving'. The same drivers were only able to achiev e a reduction of 9% when asked to drive fuel efficiently without support; t hus, the tool gave an additional reduction of 7%, Within a simulated urban environment, the additional reduction yielded by the support tool rose to 1 4%, The new support tool was also evaluated with regard to secondary effect s. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.