Developing Eco-Driving Strategies considering City Characteristics

Coloma, Juan Francisco; García, Marta; Boggio-Marzet, Alessandra; de Cáceres, Andrés Monzón · 2020 · OpenAlex-citations

DOI: 10.1155/2020/2083074

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Summary

This study addresses the variability in eco-driving effectiveness across different urban contexts, aiming to develop specific strategies based on city characteristics. Motivated by the need to reduce transport sector greenhouse gas emissions, the research investigates how city size, road type, and traffic conditions influence the impact of eco-driving training on fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Previous studies often focused on specific cases that were difficult to generalize; this work seeks to compare impacts across distinct urban environments to understand the role of external factors like congestion and infrastructure. The methodology involved parallel field trials in two Spanish cities with contrasting characteristics: Madrid, a large, congested metropolis, and Caceres, a small, less congested city. Twenty-four drivers operated two vehicles (a diesel Opel Astra and a petrol Fiat 500) along pre-established routes covering local streets, urban collectors, and major arterials. Data were collected second-by-second using on-board logging devices before and after drivers completed an eco-driving training course. The study analyzed 1,156 trips totaling over 8,000 km. Fuel consumption and emissions were estimated using the Vehicle Specific Power (VSP) model, which correlates instantaneous speed, acceleration, and road grade with energy demand. Statistical analysis compared driving performance parameters, including average speed, RPM, and acceleration/deceleration patterns, between the pre-training and post-training periods. The results demonstrate that eco-driving training reduced fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by 5% to 12% across both cities. However, the efficiency of these reductions depended heavily on road type and city context. Savings were highest on roads with a high Level of Service (LOS), such as major arterials, and lowest on local streets. In Caceres, reductions were consistent across all road types. In Madrid, eco-driving was ineffective on congested local streets but yielded significant savings on urban collectors and major arterials. Driving behavior analysis revealed substantial reductions in aggressive acceleration and deceleration (36–52%) and moderate decreases in average speed (3–7%). The study found that eco-driving efficiency decreases as city size and congestion increase, particularly on single-lane roads. The significance of these findings lies in the conclusion that eco-driving strategies must be tailored to specific urban contexts. For small, non-congested cities, eco-driving is effective across all road types. For large, congested cities, its effectiveness is limited on low-LOS roads but remains high on major arterials and duplicated-lane urban collectors. The authors recommend that public administrations promote eco-driving training and consider infrastructure improvements, such as duplicating lanes, to enhance the Level of Service and maximize the environmental benefits of eco-driving in dense urban areas.

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• eco driving