Using 3D road geometry to optimize heavy truck fuel efficiency

This paper investigates the benefit of using a 3D road geometry based optimal powertrain control system in reducing the fuel consumption of heavy trucks. The optimal control system, using constrained nonlinear programming, is designed to predict the optimal throttle, gear shifting and velocity trajectory, to minimize the fuel consumption and travel time. Computer simulations of a Class 8 truck model are conducted with Intermap 3D road geometry. Simulation results show that the optimal control system is able to reduce the fuel consumption with equal travel time, when compared to the defined baseline. Additionally, sensitivity analyses are conducted to investigate how the change of the terrain and the errors in the road map affect the gain of fuel economy and system behavior.