Real-World Traffic Demo Reveals Energy Savings

Connected, automated vehicle traveling through time-controlled, integrated traffic lights maximized energy efficiency

Oak Ridge National Laboratory researchers determined that a connected and automated vehicle, or CAV, traveling on a multilane highway with integrated traffic light timing control can maximize energy efficiency and achieve up to 27% savings.

In a demonstration, a plug-in hybrid passenger vehicle in electric mode was driven down a busy corridor in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The test vehicle and the timing of traffic lights along the longitudinal route were controlled by ORNL-developed computer algorithms.

“The energy efficiency of the transportation system and the CAV itself were optimized by avoiding idling, hard braking and accelerating as much as possible,” ORNL’s Jinghui Yuan said. “With integrated optimization strategies, CAVs can achieve significant energy savings.”

Two control strategies were implemented on the traffic signals and the CAV and integrated into a cyber-physical system. They were first tested in a digital twin-based traffic simulation and ORNL’s virtual proving ground, the Connected and Automated Vehicle Environment Laboratory. –– Jennifer Burke

Originally published on the Oak Ridge National Laboratory website. By Jennifer Burke

About Connected and Automated Vehicle Environment Laboratory – CAVE: The Connected and Automated Vehicle Environment (CAVE) Laboratory at Oak Ridge National Laboratory offers a unique proving ground to evaluate intelligent mobility solutions using real-world hardware and data in virtual traffic conditions. This integrated virtual and physical environment enhances scientists’ ability to accurately verify the large-scale energy benefits and emissions impacts of connected and automated vehicles and other advanced transportation technologies.