Analysis and Experimental Refinement of Real-World Driving Cycles

The simulation and evaluation of land vehicle performance requires accurate representations of driving conditions. Currently, many driving cycles have been developed and used in the determination of vehicle fuel economy and emission performance. These driving cycles are typically defined as vehicle speed and power trajectories over time. However, most of the standard driving cycles are short in duration and distance and inadequate in representing a wide range of actual driving conditions. There are also many specialized driving cycles designed for specific types of vehicles, but these are often not applicable to more than a specific class of vehicles. Moreover, more detailed driving schedules are often kept as proprietary information within the vehicle manufacturers.

This study developed a general methodology to address two interrelated objectives: i) the systematic analysis of real-world driving data and cataloging of actual driving patterns and ii) the synthesis of a broad class of driving cycles with specific statistical properties, based on available databases. Both of these objectives are addressed through the use of multivariate statistical methods.