Many modern cars are equipped with a so-called eco mode, which makes them more economical to drive. However, many drivers do not use this mode because it makes the car too slow. TU Delft has now developed a smart variant that can look ahead.
For many motorists, the irritation lies in the fact that the driver can no longer easily accelerate at times when this is necessary, for example when entering a highway. In collaboration with Renault, Delft robot engineers have developed the Proactive Eco Mode: a new system that allows the driver to drive faster based on predictions for the future, while still driving energy-efficiently.
Renault
According to researchers Timo Melman and Niek Beckers, it turned out that the system was able to make successful predictions fairly quickly. The researchers entered data on the driving behavior of motorists and then went to the Renault Technocentre in France. After the system was perfected, it was demonstrated on French roads. Groupe Renault was enthusiastic and expressed an ambition to use the patented system in future cars, the company reported Tu Delft.
‘Car can predict where you need power’
“With our system, your car already looks a bit ahead while you are driving,” says Timo Melman, researcher Human-Robot Interaction at the TU. “This is because we make predictions about the moments when the driver will need a lot of power and when not, and can change the engine settings of the car if necessary. This does not require complicated algorithms, we do this simply by collecting data about how the driver and other road users drive. With that data the car ‘knows’ when you want This makes it much nicer for the rider to continue driving in eco mode and it is still energy efficient.”
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