A study by MIT researchers has found that eco-driving measures can significantly reduce vehicle emissions. By dynamically adjusting vehicle speeds to reduce stopping and excessive acceleration, these measures can cut annual city-wide intersection carbon emissions by 11% to 22%. Even if only 10% of vehicles adopt eco-driving, it would result in 25% to 50% of the total reduction in CO2 emissions.
Eco-driving works by optimizing speed to pass smoothly through intersections, reducing carbon footprint. This approach can also improve fuel efficiency by minimizing stops and starts, which decreases fuel consumption and lowers emissions. In some cases, eco-driving can even increase vehicle throughput by minimizing emissions, although this might lead to more drivers taking to the roads.
The implementation of eco-driving can be achieved through speed guidance in vehicle dashboards or smartphone apps. In the long term, eco-driving could involve intelligent speed commands that directly control semi-autonomous and autonomous vehicles.
The study highlights the potential benefits of eco-driving in different cities. For instance, in San Francisco, 20% eco-driving adoption can cut emission levels by 7%, and when combined with hybrid and electric vehicles, it can reduce emissions by 17%. Atlanta, with its higher speed limits, could see even greater benefits from eco-driving measures.
By leveraging AI and machine learning tools like deep reinforcement learning, researchers can accelerate the analysis that supports sociotechnical decision-making. The study emphasizes the potential of eco-driving to mitigate climate change and improve public health.
