Dutch scientist says software can cut car fuel use

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Reuters

Modern cars can reduce fuel consumption by more than 2.5 percent just by adding a piece of software to the engine computer, a Dutch scientist found in a university research project together with Ford (NYSE:F - news).

University of Eindhoven scientist John Kessels said on Wednesday he had managed to reach optimal engine performance more often by adding a piece of software to a car's computer.

Kessels's software dynamically switches the dynamo, which charges the car battery, on and off.

"Just by adding a piece of software and a simple cable, cars can save 2.6 percent of fuel consumption," he told Reuters.

The software is not proprietary to Ford and can be used in any car with an engine computer, he said. In general this applies to most modern cars.

A more significant fuel saving of 5 to 6 percent can be achieved if the car engine were to be switched on and off, but this would require adjustments to the car engine, he said.

Fuel efficiency is a major topic for car makers as governments struggle to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to global warming.

Earlier on Wednesday, the European Commission unveiled a broad strategy to cut carbon dioxide emissions from cars, proposing binding limits that automakers say will threaten jobs and lead to big price increases for consumers.

The European Union executive, a world leader in fighting climate change, is targeting car companies to help meet goals to reduce emissions under the Kyoto Protocol.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Wouldn't an engine that runs on compressed air, such as the one under development by MDI, a Luxembourgian company founded by French inventor/engineer Guy Nègre. be even better theoretically?

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Wouldn't an engine that runs on compressed air, such as the one under development by MDI, a Luxembourgian company founded by French inventor/engineer Guy Nègre. be even better theoretically?

I don't know, but a 2.5 percent boost in fuel efficiency is significant enough for the auto industry to take note.

[pedroh 21]

oh yea the compressed air car owns.. so basically the chip makes ur car a semi-hybrid? with a dynamo to charge the battery, which is charged when u brake or go downhill withouth accelerating..

[Robor007 0]

oh yea the compressed air car owns.. so basically the chip makes ur car a semi-hybrid? with a dynamo to charge the battery, which is charged when u brake or go downhill withouth accelerating..

If it's just a software addition (no additional hardware) I think it's just a matter of (somehow) having the alternator charge the battery only when necessary. I don't know how they'd do that as the belt would still be spinning on the pulley attached to the alternator (right?). Maybe it turns the alternator on and off and the drag on the belt is reduced resulting in fuel savings?

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

I like that. The air tank stores energy like a battery but doesn't wear our and have to be disposed of like a battery.

The air car also uses gasoline too so it really is a hybrid.