WINNIPEG, MB – The Centre for Sustainable Transportation (CST) at The University of Winnipeg today announced the “ecoEnergy for Personal Vehicles Program” supported by Natural Resources Canada (NRCAN).
The project involves a year-long study aimed at raising driver awareness about idling and Green House Gas emissions, using a device called “Otto.” Otto provides feedback to the driver in “real-time” about their fuel consumption as they drive. The proposed system will allow motorists to visually identify areas where they can improve their driving habits and reduce their GHG reductions. Persen Technologies Inc. (PERSENTECH) will be supplying the Otto road safety and vehicle diagnostic technologies to facilitate this project. The project is being coordinated through the CST in partnership with PERSENTECH and the University of Manitoba.
The project will study the effectiveness of driver feedback systems like Otto to identify factors that change social behaviour in light traffic environments. Driver and vehicle data will be recorded to assess behavioural changes when a driver is given visual feedback of fuel consumption and Carbon Dioxide (CO2) equivalent emission rates. With this research, the project team will be in a position to raise awareness with the general public and to gauge the effectiveness of driver feedback systems.
About PERSENTECH:
PERSENTECH is an innovator of Global Positioning System (GPS) and engine diagnostic technologies and solutions for Location Based Services (LBS) in the automotive OEM consumer and commercial markets. PERSENTECH’s first product, Otto-Driving Companion® (Ottomate) was specifically targeted at the Canadian motorist and was released into the consumer electronics marketplace in July of 2005. The device utilizes the GPS to record trip data while providing the user with real-time notification of their driving behaviour and driving environment. PERSENTECH’s follow-on products include OttoLink™ and OttoView™, a vehicle performance monitoring system that captures engine telemetry data available from a vehicle’s On-Board Diagnostics (OBD) console interface. The OttoLink™ device records the performance of a vehicle’s gasoline engine parameters and driving behaviour, while OttoView™ provides a driver with visual feedback relating to their driving efficiency and equivalent CO2 emissions.
About the CST:
The Centre for Sustainable Transportation facilitates best practices for the movement of people and goods over the long-term. It utilizes strategies from research to implementation, while balancing social, economic, environmental and technical attributes. The CST bridges academic, business and public interests with local to global application. It identifies and helps craft winning transportation solutions that benefit society and environment and enhance mobility. Lastly, the Centre is a central resource on sustainable transportation practices and supporting information. For more information please visit http://cst.uwinnipeg.ca/.
The University of Manitoba’s participation includes Dr. Eric Bibeau, the NSERC/Manitoba Hydro Alternative Energy Industrial Chair, who will be directing the driver and vehicle modeling activity on synthesizing the data recorded throughout the project.
The project called, “Using Otto to reduce transportation emissions by changing driver behaviour” has been made possible through a financial contribution from Natural Resources Canada (NRCAN).
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FOR MORE INFORMATION
Terry Zdan, Research Director, The Centre for Sustainable Transportation, University of Winnipeg
T: 204.953.3861 E: t.zdan@uwinnipeg.ca
