Name
Abstract | ||
|---|---|---|
New simulation tools are necessary to predict the fuel savings, safety, and performance benefits of connectivity-enabled control systems for Class 8 trucks. The simulation framework described here combines high fidelity vehicle and powertrain models (uniquely, and with their controllers provided by the manufacturer) with a novel production-intent platooning controller. This controller commands propulsive engine torque, engine-braking, or friction-braking to a rear vehicle in a two-truck platoon to maintain a desired following distance. Additional unique features of the framework include high fidelity road grade and traffic speed data. A comparison to published experimental platooning results is performed through simulation with the platooning trucks traveling at a constant 28.6 m/s (64 MPH) on flat ground and separated by 11 m (36 ft). Simulations of platooning trucks separated by a 16.7 m (54.8 ft) gap are also performed in steady-state operation, at different speeds and on different grades (flat, uphill, and downhill), to demonstrate how platooning affects fuel consumption and torque demand (propulsive and braking) as speed and grade are varied. For instance, while platooning trucks with the same 16.7 m gap at 28.6 m/s save the same absolute quantity of fuel on a 1% grade as on flat ground (1.00 per-mile), the trucks consume more fuel overall as grade increases, such that relative savings for the platoon average decrease from 6.90% to 4.94% for flat vs. 1% grade, respectively. Furthermore, both absolute and relative fuel savings improve during platooning as speed increases, due to increase in aerodynamic drag force with speed. There are no fuel savings during the downhill operation, regardless of speed, as the trucks are engine braking to maintain reasonable speeds and thus not consuming fuel. Results for a two-truck platoon are also shown for moderately graded I-74 in Indiana, using traffic speed from INDOT for a typical Friday at 5PM. A 16.7 m (54.8 ft) gap two-truck platoon decreases fuel consumption by 6.18% over the baseline without degradation in trip time (average speed of 28.3 m/s (63.3 MPH)). The same platooning trucks operating on aggressively graded I-69 in Indiana shows a lower platoon-average 3.71% fuel savings over baseline at a slower average speed of 24.5 m/s (54.8 MPH). The impact of speed variation over, and grade differences between, these realistic routes (I-74 & I-69) on two-truck platooning is described in detail. |
Year | DOI | Venue |
|---|---|---|
2020 | 10.1109/TVT.2020.3009489 | IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology |
Keywords | DocType | Volume |
Class 8 trucks,platooning,fuel savings,simulation | Journal | 69 |
Issue | ISSN | Citations |
10 | 0018-9545 | 0 |
PageRank | References | Authors |
0.34 | 0 | 6 |
Name | Order | Citations | PageRank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander H. Taylor | 1 | 0 | 0.34 |
| Miles J. Droege | 2 | 0 | 0.34 |
| Gregory M. Shaver | 3 | 19 | 10.47 |
| Jairo A. Sandoval | 4 | 0 | 0.34 |
| Stephen Erlien | 5 | 0 | 0.34 |
| James Kuszmaul | 6 | 0 | 0.34 |