GPS Data Filtration Method for Drive Cycle Analysis Applications

Abstract

Global Positioning System (GPS) data acquisition devices have proven useful tools for gathering real-world driving data and statistics. The data collected by these devices provide valuable information in studying driving habits and conditions. When used jointly with vehicle simulation software, the data are invaluable in analyzing vehicle fuel use and performance, aiding in the design of more advanced and efficient vehicle technologies. However, when employing GPS data acquisition systems to capture vehicle drive-cycle information, a number of errors often appear in the captured raw data samples. Common sources of error in GPS data include sudden signal loss, extraneous or outlying data points, speed drifting, and signal white noise, all of which combine to limit the quality of field data for use in downstream applications. Unaddressed, these errors significantly impact the reliability of source data and limit the effectiveness of traditional drive cycle analysis approaches and vehicle simulation software. Without reliable speed and time information, the validity of derived metrics for drive cycles, such as acceleration, power, and distance become questionable. This study explores some of the common sources of error present in collected raw GPS data and presents a detailed filtering process designed to correct for these issues. To illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed filtration process across the range of vehicle vocations, test data from both light- and medium/heavy-duty applications are examined. Graphical comparisons of raw and filtered cycles are presented, and statistical analyses performed to determine the effects of the proposed filtration process on raw data. Finally, the paper concludes with an evaluation of the overall benefits of data filtration on raw GPS data and presents potential areas for continued research.