Project R: Fuel Efficiency Analysis of Automated Vehicle Control System Sustainable Engineering Practice & Design – OENG1118 Dr. Peter Stasinopoulos Proposal Report Group O3: Ibrahim Timraz (s3636450) Sreejesh Kirali (s3549807) Sompalli Bhargava (s3639692) Yan Yongjian (s3584402) Vasudeva Pispati (s3639283) Zeng Junhua (s3555580) Thursday 30/03/2017 Page | 1 Contents Executive Summary .............................................................................................. 2 Introduction & Background .................................................................................. 2 Methodology ......................................................................................................... 4 Project Plan ........................................................................................................... 6 Expected Outcomes ............................................................................................... 7 Reflective Discussions of the Findings ................................................................. 8 References ............................................................................................................. 9 Page | 2 Executive Summary Our team of professional engineers were assessing the sustainability of an advanced vehicle control system which optimises fuel consumption efficiency based on road and weather data. During our viability assessment, we considered factors such as Society, Environment and the Economy. We provided valid reasoning on how our system could have positive impacts on these factors. Additionally, we completed a project outline listing the tasks to be taken and an assessment of the approaches we choose to undertake. A model Life Cycle Cost Assessment and Payback period calculations were undergone to provide and idea on how sustainable the design is. Finally, we discussed our recommendations and reflected on the possible outcomes that we believe will manifest if the control system is adopted on a large scale in Australia. We have reached the conclusion that our proposed solution is viable and have a sustainable, profitable design. Therefore, we should proceed with the project. Introduction & Background ACE Car Manufacturing wants a smart adaptive control system called “Look Ahead”, which can help with reduction in fuel consumption. For which ACE has tasked our team to make a viability assessment for such a device. This device plans trip 500 meters in advance and controls fuel flow to the engine based on the route, geographical, meteorological and road conditions. The system uses GPS signal to locate the position of vehicle on a map and feed on weather, road conditions, traffic, geography information via satellite. Though the system controls the vehicle’s fuel rate delivery, the driver can override the system whenever needed by hitting the brake or gas pedals, the system can also be completely turned off. Basically, it works like a cruise control system in modern cars, but with the sole aim of increasing fuel efficiency. As the system plans the in advance and is rather proactive in nature, this helps in reducing excessive acceleration and sudden braking which in turn results Page | 3 in an improved vehicle’s life by increasing the life period of tires, brake pads, engine, gearbox, fuel pump and hydraulic systems. A sustainable product must satisfy all three pillars (3P’s): 1) Social (People) 2) Environment (Planet) 3) Economy (Profit) 1) Social: Being developed, designed and produced in Australia, it offers jobs to Australians from all diverse backgrounds and levels (ex: management, R&D, production, shop floor, transport & packaging, sales etc.). Such a device will also reduce road accidents. 2) Environment: In manufacturing, we will be utilizing the recycled plastics and materials which can help with reducing such materials being dumped in landfills or being burnt. The “Look Ahead” control system will help to reduce the fuel consumption for every vehicle equipping it, thus we can expect a decrease in harmful emissions for vehicles. Being manufactured and sold in Australia, it will reduce emissions by elimination of international shipping and transport. This collectively will reduce the carbon foot print of Australia. 3) Economy: As most materials used are made of recycled materials, we might qualify for financial support from the government for being a green manufacturer. Vehicles equipped with this device will require much less frequent maintenance and replacing of parts and therefore more money will be saved. Creation of more jobs and trade Page | 4 will surely impact the Australian GDP in a positive manner. As simple technologies are used and the cost of the materials to make the device are low we can expect a healthy cash flow. Methodology Assumptions Made: 1) There is adequate and sufficient network and GPS coverage across all the Australian mainland including any drivable roads in regional Australia. 2) Only GPS technology will be enough to receive all the required data from the satellite for the device to work as intended. 3) External vehicle proximity sensors communicate with the Look Ahead system to optimize fuel pump rate according to other vehicles’ presence on the road. 4) The Look Ahead control system has the potential to reduce the fuel consumption by 25% to 30% depending on the vehicle. Required Software and Technologies: Global Positing System (GPS): A satellite based navigation technology which covers land, sea, and air to determine the exact location for a user in all weather conditions anywhere in the world. Google Maps: A navigating application which will act as the graphical user interface that displays visual information allowing the user to predict the behaviour of the Look Ahead control system. Driving Simulator: A simulation platform that creates realistic road environments and traffic scenarios which helps in developing the device and will be mainly used for test runs to ensure the device is functioning as intended and the road safety issues are addressed. It also tracks and stores simulation data. Creo Parametric 4.0: A mechanical design software used in the manufacturing industries. Will greatly help in 3D modelling of the Look Ahead system and then 2D drawings can be made for manufacturing specifications. Page | 5 Advantages: 1) Easy to Manufacture: Made from recycled plastic and thus is easier to manufacture than other devices. The system is relatively small and uses the vehicle’s battery for power. 2) Relatively Easy Installation: The device control system will be implemented in the newer range of cars by ACE Manufacturing. Nevertheless, as the device is versatile in nature and is easy to install, ACE can sell the device as an add-on that can be fitted into any other vehicle, even older cars. 3) Device Recycled at Disposal Stage: As the device is made from recyclable durable plastic it can be recycled at the end of its life. ACE Car Manufacturing will offer Look Ahead system owners to return their broken or faulty devices for a free Road Worthy Inspection. Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) We must take into consideration the costs at all the life stages of our control system: 1) Acquisition 2) Operation & maintenance 3) Disposal 4) Insurance (Manufacturer’s Warranty) In the table below we assess the LCCA of a car that does an average of 20,000km per year over a 10-year period (both with and without the Look Ahead control system). Table 1: Life Cycle Cost Analysis based on a 10-year period. Cost Without Look Ahead system With Look Ahead system Acquisition $0 $1,200 Vehicle Maintenance Costs $10,000 $2,000 Fuel Costs $12,987 $9,480 Disposal $0 -$250 Total $22,987 $12,430 Page | 6 Fuel costs: $1.30 per litre of petrol (Australian Automobile Association, 2017). 15.4 km/litre (SGCarMart, Toyota Corolla Altis, 2016). Payback Time: Net Annual Savings = (22,987-12,430)/10 years = $1,055.7 Payback period (years) = Initial Investment ($) / Net Annual Savings ($/year) Payback period = 1,200/1,055.7 = 1.14 years (around 14 months). Project Plan In terms of project plan, our team identified three main steps to be completed within a reasonable time frame. Task 1: To begin with, we are going to spend two weeks in conducting a preliminary sustainability assessment and then identifying the impacts of our proposed solution on the economy, environment, and society. Due to the complexity of the assessment, our team must spend at least two weeks in the first step which is the most important process. Task 2: In addition, in the second step, we will take one week to conduct a multi-criteria analysis to decide on optimal version of proposed solutions. For this task, we are going to use brainstorming to collect more ideas of solutions. Task 3: We will vote to reduce less important ideas and find useful parts. Then, we will do a multi-criteria analysis to assess the best solution we have already voted. Finally, the recommendations about the project should be done in the next week. At the same time, we need to explain our approach and justify as to whether the project should proceed based on the outcomes of the tasks above. Page | 7 Figure 1 : Visual representation of the tentative project timeline Expected Outcomes Reduced pollution from emissions: The less the fuel consumption of a vehicle, the less is the smoke that will come out of its exhaust. Thus, the damage done to the environment is considerably lower. Fuel efficient cars help in reducing pollution and smog, they also contribute to having better air quality. Increased fuel resource efficiency: To get the approximate figures, we took the same example of the Toyota Corolla Altis which uses 6.5 Litres of petrol per 100km. An average car does about 20,000kms per year. There are more than 18,007,767 registered cars and light vehicles on Australian roads (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2015). If 10% of the total car owners install the Look Ahead control systems, this amounts to around 1.8 million vehicles. In one year, around 631,800,000 litres of petrol can be spared. This directly equals an increase in the Australian GDP and less fossil fuel imports for Australia. 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 Timeline for Tasks Completion (weeks) Task 3 Task 2 Task 1 Page | 8 Improve lifecycle of vehicle: By using the smart adaptive Look Ahead system, we can increase the lifespan of vehicle parts like gearbox, brakes and tyres. While driving in a gear lower than we needs wastes fuel and letting the car in top gear on hills and corners is also wasteful. By making the fuel delivery system proactive rather than reactive we do not apply high pressure on the braking systems and overall use the machine parts in a much more efficient way. Creates Employment: By creating new manufacturing companies in Australia that will create numerous employment opportunities across many diverse fields and backgrounds. Encourages recycling of plastics: As our proposed solution is using a device which is mainly made from different recyclable plastic polymers, there will be a huge demand in Australia for recycled plastic and we expect recycling campaigns to increase. This will help in creating a greener and a more environmentally friendly Australia. Reflective Discussions of the Findings During our research, we found that the Look Ahead control system has a short payback time of less than 14 months. Due to the economic profit, this device will be sold in a large amount. So, the manufacturing & sales facilities will be established and local people can find jobs in such facilities. Local economy will benefit from the newly increased employment, higher fuel efficiency and increased road safety. As the device increases the fuel efficiency of the car, people use less fuel to drive same distances than before. At the same time, due to the less consumption, the air pollution can also be reduced. While driving a vehicle with Look Ahead control system, the car can run in a smoother condition without sudden acceleration or sudden braking to avoid damage to the machine’s parts. This can considerably extend the life of components and reduce the cost on regular maintenance. In our research, the device is mainly made of recycled plastic. Due to the large scale of production, the demand for plastic is considerable. This can encourage the recycling of nonbiodegradable plastic. Based on these findings, we should proceed with the project. Page | 9 References Fuel Price Data, Australian Automobile Association, 2017: http://www.aaa.asn.au/latest-fuel-prices/ SGCarMart, Toyota Corolla Altis 1.6 Elegence [MY16], 2016: http://www.sgcarmart.com/new_cars/newcars_specs.php?CarCode=11448 9309.0 - Motor Vehicle Census, Australian Bureau of Statistics, 31 Jan 2015: http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/[email protected]/lookup/9309.0Media%20Release131%20Jan%2020 15