PIT Examines Effects of Optimized Engine Programming
Photo courtesy of Today’s Trucking
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Photo courtesy of Today’s Trucking
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PIT Group have been busy on a project first launched in 2014 that aims to examine the effects of optimized programming on commercial vehicle engines. The Quebec-based PIT Group is a research and engineering outfit focused on improving fleet maintenance and operations.
Today’s engines, PIT says, feature nearly 200 programmable parameters, making it possible to optimize engine operation. So in theory, if optimally performed, programming adjustments should provide improvements in fuel efficiency and performance. We know that, but PIT’s discussions with engine manufacturers brought to light their interest in a project that would demonstrate and quantify this potential.
It’s no secret that most engines leave the factory and then the dealer’s yard without ever being programmed to meet the user’s specific operational conditions.
With that in mind, FPInnovations, through the PIT Group, launched a project in 2014, aimed at assessing the impact of optimized programming. It’s been carried out with government funding received through Transition énergétique Québec, and was supported by major partners, including Cummins Eastern Canada and several carriers that agreed to take part.
The 26-month project had three main objectives: to develop standard programming based on specific applications, to compare the energy and environmental efficiency of vehicles using these programs, and to disseminate the results within the transportation industry.
The first series of track tests were conducted in September 2016 and included school buses, specialized-haul trucks, and regional-haul trucks. A second series of track tests was performed in February 2017 in order to gather more data. These tests included two categories of vehicles: school buses and local delivery trucks. Unlike the tests of September 2016, three different driving techniques were used: aggressive driving, normal driving, and eco-responsible driving.
Overall, the project led to promising results, which are briefly presented below:
Local transportation: 4-28% reduction in average fuel consumption in the city …Read the rest of this story
