Specific challenge: Reducing real driving emissions and consumption of heavy duty road haulage is one of the main societal challenges for the sector. Fuel efficiency and emissions reduction are sometimes dependent on how they interact with each other and with the specific vehicle application and operating conditions. The challenge is therefore to develop new means of flexible and global engine and emissions control in an optimal way for each application in order to maximise the potential utilisation of the individual systems.

Scope: Proposals should focus on methods how to optimise the control of powertrains taking into account specific transportation tasks. This can be achieved by using the information provided by new generation navigation systems and emission sensors linked to the On Board Diagnosis/On Board Measuring system in combination with electronics and actuators. The strategy will use data such as transport assignment (total weight, vehicle configuration, etc.), traffic and weather conditions, topography and road network on the chosen route, driving patterns of the surrounding vehicles, the state of the combustion engine, after treatment and transmission, monitored emissions emitted, etc. The resulting technology should deliver a global optimum for consumption (for both fuel, electric energy and other consumables related to emission control such as urea or ammonia) and noxious emissions on each mission, to be validated through a demonstrator.

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of between EUR 5 to 7 million each would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

Expected impact: A reduction of fuel consumption of at least 20% on the same vehicle with conventional control should be demonstrated comparatively, while not exceeding Real Driving Emissions limits set by the established Euro VI procedures.

Type of action: Innovation Actions

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