The goal of this Exploratory Topic is to conduct testing and validation of energy-saving technologies that utilize connectivity and autonomous vehicle technologies developed under Phase II of ARPA-E’s NEXT generation energy technologies for Connected and Automated on-Road vehicles (NEXTCAR) program.
This topic will support further quantification of the energy benefits of eco-driving applications over realistic real-world driving and dynamic operational scenarios that can inform development of future energy efficiency criteria for these technologies. Team(s) selected will provide a physical test facility, develop relevant augmented reality scenarios to complement on-track testing, and host an on-site event in Fall 2024 to evaluate the energy efficiency improvements of Society of Automotive Engineers J3016 Level 4-capable NEXTCAR Phase II light-duty vehicles.
Program Director(s):
Priyanka Bakaya
Project(s) Selected Within This Exploratory Topic
American Center for Mobility (ACM) – Ypsilanti, MI
ARPA-E NEXTCAR Phase-II: Measurement of Energy Efficiency through Track Testing within Augmented Reality Integrated Simulations for CAV System (METRICS)
The ACM team will support the testing and validation endeavors of the four ARPA-E NEXTCAR II teams. This will culminate in a Field Day event where the NEXTCAR teams will exhibit and validate their energy-saving technologies developed for their vehicles, where the teams will operate their vehicles on the closed track under real-world driving scenarios. The demonstration and validation will utilize a mixed-reality Vehicle-in-the-Loop (VIL) simulation, fostering dynamic interaction and real-time engagement between the vehicles and simulated counterparts within their respective scenarios. Augmented reality will be utilized to enhance the experience for both onlookers and vehicle users. The team will employ established best practices derived from previous endeavors to ensure the efficacy of test methodologies, including vehicle preconditioning, vehicle baselining methods, measurement instrumentation, and energy assessment methods.