Driver Behavior Effects on Fuel Consumption in Urban Driving

Abstract

Data are examined from two published experimental studies in which drivers were instructed to drive other than normally, with the traffic: for example, to minimize fuel consumption or to minimize trip time. It is found that, in general, for each 1% increase (decrease) in trip time compared to driving normally with the traffic, the fuel consumption increases (decreases) by approximately 1.1%. However, expert drivers can save fuel without increasing trip time by skillfully adjusting their speed to avoid stops at traffic signals. It is shown that the formal problem to be solved to minimize fuel consumption on an urban trip is so complicated that even a “perfect” fuel economy meter would not enable a driver to achieve this minimum.