ENERGY CONSUMPTION OF HEAVY ROAD VEHICLES : FIELD PARAMETER MEASUREMENTS AND CROSS IMPACT ANALYSIS - SUMMARY REPORT

The relevant factors affecting heavy vehicle fuel consumption have been grouped into a system called "SICMER" - system of interrelations among driver, machine, environment and the road. Some of these interrelated factors include: energy transformation in the engine, energy transmission to the wheels, energy balance between tires and road, complex movement of articulated vehicles, and the influence of the driver's technique. Some comparisons of fuel consumption are presented in the following cases: differences in driving technique, different combinations of the "semi-trailer undercarriage", and different road surfaces and profiles. Prototypes of driver assistance instruments have been designed based on some of the relationships studies. (Author/TRRL)