In today’s fast-paced world, the movement of vehicles plays a critical role in the consumption of energy and the emission of greenhouse gases. The U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory has developed a groundbreaking tool called Autonomie Express to provide insights into how vehicles are utilizing energy on a large scale. This tool is a game-changer for transport and mobility companies, researchers, city planners, and other stakeholders looking to estimate their vehicles’ energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
Autonomie Express offers a comprehensive analysis of energy consumption for a wide range of vehicles, both current and future. With the increasing complexity in transportation due to advancements in technology at the powertrain and vehicle levels, as well as the inclusion of intelligence in vehicles and roadways, it is essential to have a tool that can adapt to these changes. This tool is equipped with a vast library of vehicle types, ranging from light-duty passenger cars to heavy-duty trucks, and models their powertrains, fuel economy, and battery usage.
One of the most remarkable features of Autonomie Express is its ability to include models that are not yet available to the public. By leveraging manufacturer specifications, the tool’s library extends to new vehicles projected up to the year 2050. This forward-thinking approach allows transportation engineers to develop realistic simulations of present and future fleets, considering the evolution of vehicle technology over the next two decades.
Autonomie Express enables stakeholders to visualize the impact of their current practices and vehicle fleets, as well as track their progress towards more sustainable transportation options. For instance, the tool can estimate the cost savings for a transport company transitioning to electric vehicles or the contribution of rush-hour traffic to a city’s energy consumption. By working in tandem with traffic flow simulation tools, Autonomie Express can model the effects of new technologies like electrification, connectivity, and automation on energy consumption at scale.
The development team behind Autonomie Express, led by Aymeric Rousseau, has prioritized user experience by designing the tool to be user-friendly. The graphical user interface simplifies vehicle selection and connection with micro- and meso-simulation tools, making it accessible to a wide range of users. Additionally, pre-defined fleets for multiple scenarios offer ready-to-use solutions for researchers to accurately estimate the energy impacts of various technologies.
Driving Towards a Sustainable Future
The recent announcement of Autonomie Express’s availability, free of cost with a license, is a testament to the team’s commitment to promoting energy-efficient and environmentally responsible transportation practices. By providing users with valuable insights into their energy consumption patterns and the potential benefits of transitioning to new technologies, Autonomie Express paves the way for a more sustainable future in the transportation sector. With this tool at their disposal, stakeholders can make informed decisions that will not only benefit their operations but also contribute to a greener planet.