Australian Initiatives in Traffic Management and Energy - Vehicle Parameters and Interactions

This paper reviews the interactions between vehicle and road designers, particularly in the area of fuel consumption related to traffic management. The need for increased interaction between vehicle and road designers is illustrated in the cases of truck traffic performance, truck technology, information technology in cars, car performance, speed control and road information. Fuel consumption models developed at the Australian Road Research Board are described for the purposes of traffic management analysis for intersections, road links and broad urban studies. These models are a major step towards appropriate choice of traffic control systems, but need accurate estimates of vehicle performance characteristics in real traffic.