Vehicle trajectory optimization for application in ECO-driving

To reduce fuel consumption in the transportation sector research focuses mainly on the development of more efficient drive train technologies and alternative drive train designs. Another and immidiately applicable way found to reduce fuel consumption in road vehicles is to change vehicle operation such that system efficiency is maximized. The concept of Eco-driving refers to the change of driver behavior in a fuel saving way or more generally in an energy saving way. In this paper system efficiency of a vehicle is optimized using a dynamic programming optimization approach. Given a drive cycle a so called `eco-drive cycle' is identified in which a vehicle performs the same distance with the same stops in equivalent time, while consuming less fuel.