Maps that help with fuel economy

By: Drivers.com staff
Date: 2009-06-25

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Intermap technologies' NEXTMap® project is at the leading edge of a hi-tech mapping future. The company's core business is scanning landscapes and turning the resulting digital information into products ranging from urban planning tools to tools that help fleets manage their fuel consumption.

Intermap is currently engaged in a research project aimed at helping Hybrid Energy Vehicles (HEVs) to use its 3D mapping information to manage their fuel relationship and match it to the elevations of road surface.

In other words, Information from NextMap will be fed to the engine to ensure its fuel use is optimized to the landscape ahead. "Predictive road grade information," in other words advance knowledge of an upcoming hill generated by GPS and Intermap 3D road maps, can help an HEV to manage power from both electric and gasoline sources "insuring that the electric drive is fully utilized before traveling downhill in anticipation of the regenerative power available during descent."

"Simulation results have shown a 3% average improvement in fuel economy based on knowledge of future terrain," says researcher Chen Zhang. " Steeper grades show even more promising gains, says Zhang.

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