Indirect network-wide energy/emissions benefits from dynamic eco-driving on signalized corridors

In recent years there has been significant interest in intelligent transportation technology that has specific energy and environmental benefits. Among these, dynamic eco-driving techniques on signalized corridors are being developed and employed with energy and environmental benefits (e.g., lower fuel consumption and emissions) in the general range of 5% to 20% for the individual vehicles that have the technology (the vehicles that are able to plan their velocity trajectories before they approaching an intersection, basing on the signal phase and timing (SPAT) information through dedicated short-range communication (DSRC)). The topic of this paper addresses the question on whether there are any additional network-wide energy/emissions benefits for the overall traffic from initial low-penetration rates of the technology. To this end, we have carried out a research study consisting of an extensive set of traffic simulations for an arterial corridor with different levels of congestion and different penetration rates of dynamic eco-driving technology. It is found that there are indeed indirect network-wide energy and emissions benefits for the overall traffic, even at low penetration rates of the dynamic eco-driving technology-equipped vehicles. In the experiments, the maximum fuel saving and emission reduction occurs during medium congestion (corresponding to traffic volume of 300 vehicles/lane/hour) and with low penetration rates (5%, 10% and 20%). Under these conditions, the total traffic energy/emissions typically triple what is saved from the technology-equipped vehicles alone (e.g., total 4% savings compared to 1.3% savings).