Driving Cycle

A driving cycle is a series of data points representing the speed of a vehicle versus time.

Driving cycles are produced by different countries and organizations to assess the performance of vehicles in various ways, as for example fuel consumption and polluting emissions.

Fuel consumption and emission tests are performed on chassis dynamometers. Tailpipe emissions are collected and measured to indicate the performance of the vehicle.

Another use for driving cycles is in vehicle simulations. More specifically, they are used in propulsion system simulations (simulators designed specifically to model the drive system only and predict performance of internal combustion engines, transmissions, electric drive systems, batteries, fuel cell systems, etc.) An example of this type of vehicle simulator would be ADVISOR produced by AVL Engineering.

Some driving cycles are derived theoretically, as it is preferred in the European Union, whereas others are direct measurements of a driving pattern deemed representative.

There are two types of driving cycle: Transient driving cycles involve many changes, representing the constant speed changes typical of on-road driving. Modal driving cycles involve protracted periods at constant speeds. The American FTP-75, and the unofficial European Hyzem driving cycles are transient, whereas the official European NEDC and the Japanese 10-15 Mode and JC08 cycles are modal cycles.

The most common driving cycles are probably the European NEDC and the American FTP-75.

Driving cycle design is the core technology for these standard cycles. Optimization and Markov Chain are employed to design a driving cycle.

Driving cycle recognition is applying to Hybrid Electric Vehicle.