Using Automated Vehicle Data as a Fitness Tracker for Sustainability

Using Automated Vehicle Data as a Fitness Tracker for Sustainability

5 Apr 2024 | Xia Wang, Sobenna Onwumelu, Jonathan Sprinkle
This paper introduces a sustainability dashboard for connected and automated vehicles (AVs) that uses on-board vehicle data, specifically signals from the Controller Area Network (CAN) bus, to provide key metrics such as safety, fuel efficiency, and passenger comfort. The dashboard allows drivers to compare their driving performance with manual control and Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), and to review historical data, trends, and detailed charts for better understanding. Drivers can also set sustainable goals, such as achieving a safety score over 95%, and compare current metrics with previous drives to perceive rewards for using autonomous driving assistance. The technology can extend the social aspect by showcasing messages like “your fuel efficiency index surpasses 89% of drivers,” expanding the application’s influence. The proposed methodology contributes by providing a sustainability dashboard tailored for connected and automated vehicles, offering real-time, straightforward, and universal methods for extracting key driving indicators. It establishes a data format for the interaction between drivers and key indicators of AVs, providing a data foundation for the sustainable advancement of driver acceptance of driving assistance technologies and for the iterative development of safer, more economical, and more comfortable autonomous driving technologies. The dashboard is structured into four sections: a key performance indicator (KPI) display area, a navigation section, an instrument panel area, and a customizable functional area. The KPI area displays fundamental aggregated indicators and uses spider charts to graphically represent the effects of ACC on safety, fuel efficiency, and comfort. Key metrics include safety, fuel efficiency, and comfort. Safety is evaluated using time headway and time to collision (TTC), with time headway being preferred due to its simplicity and continuous nature. Fuel efficiency is calculated using a formula that considers vehicle velocity, acceleration, and other factors. Comfort is evaluated using acceleration and jerk, with thresholds defining discomfort levels. The dashboard also stores driving records to display time-series trends and comparisons of current trips with previous ones, helping drivers understand their driving performance. The project received funding from the National Science Foundation.This paper introduces a sustainability dashboard for connected and automated vehicles (AVs) that uses on-board vehicle data, specifically signals from the Controller Area Network (CAN) bus, to provide key metrics such as safety, fuel efficiency, and passenger comfort. The dashboard allows drivers to compare their driving performance with manual control and Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), and to review historical data, trends, and detailed charts for better understanding. Drivers can also set sustainable goals, such as achieving a safety score over 95%, and compare current metrics with previous drives to perceive rewards for using autonomous driving assistance. The technology can extend the social aspect by showcasing messages like “your fuel efficiency index surpasses 89% of drivers,” expanding the application’s influence. The proposed methodology contributes by providing a sustainability dashboard tailored for connected and automated vehicles, offering real-time, straightforward, and universal methods for extracting key driving indicators. It establishes a data format for the interaction between drivers and key indicators of AVs, providing a data foundation for the sustainable advancement of driver acceptance of driving assistance technologies and for the iterative development of safer, more economical, and more comfortable autonomous driving technologies. The dashboard is structured into four sections: a key performance indicator (KPI) display area, a navigation section, an instrument panel area, and a customizable functional area. The KPI area displays fundamental aggregated indicators and uses spider charts to graphically represent the effects of ACC on safety, fuel efficiency, and comfort. Key metrics include safety, fuel efficiency, and comfort. Safety is evaluated using time headway and time to collision (TTC), with time headway being preferred due to its simplicity and continuous nature. Fuel efficiency is calculated using a formula that considers vehicle velocity, acceleration, and other factors. Comfort is evaluated using acceleration and jerk, with thresholds defining discomfort levels. The dashboard also stores driving records to display time-series trends and comparisons of current trips with previous ones, helping drivers understand their driving performance. The project received funding from the National Science Foundation.
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