An Extensive Investigation of an Eco-Approach Controller under a Partially Connected and Automated Vehicle Environment

Abstract

This study evaluated the performance of an eco-approach control system at signalized intersections under a partially connected and automated vehicle (CAV) environment. This system has the first eco-approach controller able to function with the existence of surrounding human-driven traffic. A previous evaluation only confirmed its benefits. The purpose of this study was to conduct a further extensive test on the controller to identify room for improvement. Two different networks were tested, including an isolated signalized intersection and a corridor with two signalized intersections. The measures of effectiveness (MOEs) adopted were throughput and fuel consumption. All the before-and-after MOEs were compared using t-tests. The results indicate that the controller generally improved the fuel efficiency without harm to the mobility, and its environmental performance was affected by the minimum CAV speed, green ratio, congestion level, and marker penetration rate of CAVs. A detailed investigation revealed that no significant environmental benefit was generated under high congestion levels when the minimum speed of CAVs was more than 20 mph, and the shockwaves caused by the eco-approach control may result in a gating effect that reduces the throughput at the upstream intersection of the corridor under high congestion levels.

Real-Time Implementation of Green Light Optimal Speed Advisory for Electric Vehicles

“…The total energy consumption, E total , is obtained by summing the intervals energies in Equations (23)- (25), which results in…”

“…The travel times which each interval takes are given by ∆t, Equations (16), and (18), respectively. The energy consumption in each of these intervals is calculated by Equations (23)- (25), respectively. The vehicle parameters used for this simulation are in accordance with Table 1, and the arbitrary route parameters are presented in Table 3 and can be seen in Figure 7.…”

“…For multiple vehicles cases, which is more common at real world scenarios, a car following model should be adopted [21,22]. Such platoons management solutions can be implemented using vehicle-to-vehicle communication (V2V) [23] and adaptive Signal Phase and Timing (SPaT) can be considered by using vehicle-to-infrastructure communication (V2I) [24,25]. Some studies conducted a real-world testing to evaluate the potential of GLOSA [26,27].…”

Vehicle Trajectory Control and Signal Timing Optimization of Isolated Intersection under V2X Environment

“…Jiang et al [1] evaluated the performance of ecological approach control systems at signalized intersections in partially connected and automated vehicle (CAV) environments. Tey tested two diferent networks, including an isolated signalized intersection and a corridor with two signalized intersections.…”

Safe and Ecological Speed Control for Heavy-Duty Vehicles on Long–Steep Downhill and Sharp-Curved Roads

“…The corresponding controllers force vehicles to accelerate before reaching the stop bar and drive through the intersection at the tightest headway and legal speed limit. The throughput of the intersection can thus be ensured to be optimum [46,47]. Apart from directly controlling the kinematics state of vehicles, some other eco-driving systems utilize the information on vehicles' kinematics state and road infrastructure to evaluate the instantaneous fuel consumption of vehicles, and according to improve the driving style of human drivers [48,49].…”