ECO-DRIVE: Efficient Car Operations via Data-Driven Routing to Impede Vehicle Emissions

California’s transportation sector, particularly in urban areas, is grappling with severe traffic congestion, poor air quality due to vehicle emissions, and significant road safety concerns. These challenges are exacerbated by the high density of vehicles, leading to substantial greenhouse gas emissions, and an increased likelihood of road accidents. Recognizing the interconnected nature of these issues, the ECO-DRIVE project proposes a novel solution: a V2X-TMS architecture.

This system will utilize an ad-hoc network of vehicles, roadside infrastructure, and traffic management systems to optimize vehicle operations and routing in real time. By integrating vehicles with traffic management systems, the project aims to alleviate emissions, combat congestion, and enhance road safety. The approach involves collecting and analyzing traffic data through onboard and roadside sensors, making optimal decisions based on this analysis, and providing real-time updates to drivers on traffic conditions and alternative routes.

The novelty of ECO-DRIVE lies in its threefold approach:

• employing an ad-hoc network for data exchange between vehicles and infrastructure,
• enabling vehicles to access a “global” view of traffic situations through navigation applications, and
• mitigating the limitations of both CAV and TMS to achieve reliable, real-time optimal decisions.

This system is expected to operate in real-time, offering optimized and sustainable solutions for urban transportation. ECO-DRIVE aligns with the objectives of Senate Bill 1 (SB1), focusing on integrating vehicle automation with transportation infrastructure to boost efficiency, connectivity, and safety, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and addressing transportation issues through informed decision-making. The project seeks to operationalize and enhance California's commitment to a sustainable, efficient, and safe transportation future, leveraging the latest advancements in vehicle communication and traffic management technologies.