Anticipative Guidance of Connected and Autonomous Cars for Energy Efficiency
MIE Department Seminar
January 28, 2020
11:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Anticipative Guidance of Connected and Autonomous Cars for Energy Efficiency
Presenter: Ardalan Vahidi, PhD, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Clemson University
Abstract: Connected and automated vehicles (CAV) are marketed for their increased safety, driving comfort, and time saving potential. With much easier access to information, increased processing power, and precision control, they also offer unprecedented opportunities for energy efficient driving. This talk highlights the energy saving potential of connected and automated vehicles based on first principles of motion, optimal control theory, and practical examples from our previous and ongoing research. Connectivity to other vehicles and infrastructure allows better anticipation of upcoming events, such as hills, curves, slow traffic, state of traffic signals, and movement of neighboring vehicles. Automation allows vehicles to adjust their motion more precisely in anticipation of upcoming events, and save energy. Opportunities for cooperative driving could further increase energy efficiency of a group of vehicles by allowing them to move in a coordinated manner. Energy efficient motion of connected and automated vehicles could have a harmonizing effect on mixed traffic, leading to additional energy savings for neighboring vehicles.
We present analytical and experimental results from a US DOE funded project in which we are exploring the impact of anticipative vehicle guidance on energy efficiency of CAVs and surrounding traffic. The benefits are shown in simulated scenarios and also in a novel vehicle-in- the-loop experiment on a test track.
Presenter bio: Ardalan Vahidi is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Clemson University, South Carolina. He received his PhD in mechanical engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, in 2005, M.Sc. in transportation safety from George Washington University, Washington, DC, in 2002, and B.S. and M.Sc. from Sharif University, Tehran in 1996 and 1998, respectively. In 2012–2013 he was a Visiting Scholar at the University of California, Berkeley. He has also held scientific visiting positions at BMW Technology Office in California, and at IFP Energies Nouvelles, in France. His research is at the intersection of energy, vehicular systems, and automatic control. His recent publications span topics in alternative vehicle powertrains, intelligent transportation systems, and connected and autonomous vehicle technologies.
Date posted
Jan 14, 2020
Date updated
Jan 14, 2020