Systems and methods for measuring and reducing vehicle fuel waste

Abstract

A method of determining an amount of fuel wasted by a vehicle due to sub-optimal performance of at least one component of the vehicle includes receiving information about operation of the vehicle from at least one sensor positioned on the vehicle, categorizing, with a processor, a fuel use by the vehicle as a normal fuel use or a wasted fuel use due to the at least one component performing at a sub-optimal level by comparing the received information to expected information from the at least one sensor when the vehicle is operating at optimal performance, and determining, with the processor, the amount of fuel wasted due to the at least one component operating at the sub-optimal level based on categorized fuel use.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A data storage device embodying computer-executable instructions, that when executed by a processor, cause the processor to optimize a vehicle having an engine control unit programmed with a first vehicle profile for a route of travel by executing operations comprising:
 dividing a route of travel into a plurality of segments;   identifying a segment characteristic of each of the plurality of segments;   determining, with the processor, a second vehicle profile, the second vehicle profile dependent upon one or more of a fuel use and the segment characteristics; and   reprogramming the engine control unit with the second vehicle profile.   
     
     
         2 . The data storage device of  claim 1 , wherein the segment characteristic is selected from the group consisting of a slope, distance, government imposed traffic controls, volume of traffic, and weather conditions. 
     
     
         3 . The data storage device of  claim 2 , wherein the segment characteristic is a government imposed traffic control, and the determining operation comprises determining the second vehicle profile dependent upon the government imposed traffic control. 
     
     
         4 . The data storage device of  claim 1 , wherein the first vehicle profile is associated with a first fuel use, and the determining operation comprises determining the second vehicle profile dependent upon the fuel use, such that the fuel use of the second vehicle profile is less than the first fuel use for one or more of the plurality of segments. 
     
     
         5 . The data storage device of  claim 1 , wherein the identifying operation further comprises identifying one or more additional segment characteristics. 
     
     
         6 . A system comprising:
 memory;   a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor is configured to optimize a vehicle having an engine control unit programmed with a first vehicle profile for a route of travel by being further configured to:
 divide a route of travel into a plurality of segments; 
 identify a segment characteristic of each of the plurality of segments; 
 determine, with the processor, a second vehicle profile, the second vehicle profile dependent upon one or more of a fuel use and the segment characteristics; and 
 reprogram the engine control unit with the second vehicle profile. 
   
     
     
         7 . The data storage device of  claim 6 , wherein the segment characteristic is selected from the group consisting of a slope, distance, government imposed traffic controls, volume of traffic, and weather conditions. 
     
     
         8 . The data storage device of  claim 7 , wherein the segment characteristic is a government imposed traffic control, and the determining operation comprises determining the second vehicle profile dependent upon the government imposed traffic control. 
     
     
         9 . The data storage device of  claim 6 , wherein the first vehicle profile is associated with a first fuel use, and the determining operation comprises determining the second vehicle profile dependent upon the fuel use, such that the fuel use of the second vehicle profile is less than the first fuel use for one or more of the plurality of segments. 
     
     
         10 . The data storage device of  claim 6 , wherein the identifying operation further comprises identifying one or more additional segment characteristics.