Facilitating electric propulsion of autonomous vehicles through efficient design of a charging-station network

For a vehicle to be truly autonomous, it needs to be propelled by a power type that does not require human effort to transfer the power into the vehicle manually. For this reason, electric propulsion is increasingly being considered as a viable and practical alternative to the internal combustion engine (ICE). Another benefit of electric propulsion is the reduction of vehicular emissions. Electric automated vehicles (EAVs) that have zero-occupancy can simply be sent to electric charging stations for recharge. This research proposes a framework for efficient design of a network of electric charging stations that can promote AVs. In this framework, the transportation planner seeks to gradually install electric charging stations at repurposed existing gas stations and/or at new locations. The framework considers the anticipation of an ICEV-to-AV transition phase where the existing gas stations will be decommissioned gradually in favor of electric charging stations. The framework will consider two trip-making scenarios: intracity trips that capture traffic congestion, and intercity trips that are characterized by long distances.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Completed
• Funding: $150,000 (CCAT:$75,000 Delft U: $75,000)
• Contract Numbers:

  69A3551747105

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Department of Transportation

  Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office
  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Managing Organizations:

  Center for Connected and Automated Transportation

  University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute
  Ann Arbor, MI  United States  48109
• Project Managers:

  Tucker-Thomas, Dawn

• Performing Organizations:

  NEXTRANS

  Purdue University
  3000 Kent Avenue
  Lafayette, IN  United States  47906-1075
• Principal Investigators:

  Labi, Samuel

  Miralinaghi, Mohammad

• Start Date: 20190101
• Expected Completion Date: 20220930
• Actual Completion Date: 20240207
• USDOT Program: University Transportation Centers Program
• Subprogram: Research

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Autonomous vehicles; Connected vehicles; Electric automobiles; Internal combustion engines; Networks; Propulsion
• Identifier Terms: Framework for Infrastructure Support Technologies
• Subject Areas: Design; Operations and Traffic Management; Policy; Transportation (General); Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01742587
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Center for Connected and Automated Transportation
• Contract Numbers: 69A3551747105
• Files: UTC, RIP
• Created Date: Jun 18 2020 9:03AM