Use Of Vehicles Research Articles

Electric mobility in European urban freight and logistics – status and attempts of improvement

Abstract Analyses of the potentials of electric mobility in commercial transport have shown that in terms of trip patterns and daily mileage EVs are suitable for urban freight transport and city logistics. The deployment of EVs could reduce exhaust and noise emissions. But the potential is not being exploited, and there are only a few vehicles in use in commercial fleets. This paper will give insights into the status of electric mobility in European urban freight and logistics. The paper introduces the potential for the further implementation and development of electric vehicles in city logistics, based on the activities realized under EUFAL (Electric urban freight and logistics) project, realized under the ERA-NET Cofund Electric Mobility Europe.

New business models and the sharing economy: impacts and challenges for the traditional automotive industry

The outstanding features of a vehicle do not include great modifications for nearly 100 years, as the same to the major car manufacturers' business models (BM). Recent service's platforms related to urban mobility use, mostly, the sharing economy, resulting in disruptive innovations. This offer to the users new experiences in services (e.g., Uber) which provides the vehicle's use without the onus of ownership. From this perspective, this paper qualitatively evaluates the modifications in the automakers BM's standards based on strategies and innovations of the new businesses of the main groups of automotive manufacturers. As a result, we observed that traditional products-based automakers are already moving towards to fit in the new BM, which are impacted by the sharing economy. Finally, we proposed a framework based on an unbundled model operating synergistically in three types (customer relationship management, product/service innovation and infrastructure management).

A Randomized, Controlled Trial of Cyclosporine A Cationic Emulsion in Pediatric Vernal Keratoconjunctivitis: The VEKTIS Study

Vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) is a chronic, allergic, and potentially severe ocular disease affecting children and adolescents that can lead to impaired quality of life (QoL) and loss of vision. This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of an investigational therapy for severe VKC, cyclosporine A (CsA) cationic emulsion (CE), an oil-in-water emulsion with increased bioavailability versus conventional CsA formulations. The VErnal KeratoconjunctiviTIs Study (VEKTIS) is a phase 3, multicenter, double-masked, vehicle-controlled trial. Pediatric patients (4 to younger than 18 years) with active severe VKC (grade of 3 or 4 on the Bonini severity scale) and severe keratitis (corneal fluorescein staining [CFS] score of 4 or 5 on the modified Oxford scale). One hundred sixty-nine patients were randomized to CsA CE 0.1% (1 mg/ml) eye drops 4 times daily (high dose), CsA CE twice daily (low dose) plus vehicle twice daily, or vehicle 4 times daily for 4 months. The primary end point was a mean composite score that reflected CFS, rescue medication use (dexamethasone 0.1% 4 times daily), and corneal ulceration over the 4 months. Differences in least-squares means versus vehicle for the primary end point were statistically significant for both the high-dose (0.76; P= 0.007) and the low-dose (0.67; P= 0.010) groups, with treatment effect mainly driven by CFS score. Significant differences were found between both active treatment groups and vehicle for use of rescue medication. Vernal keratoconjunctivitis symptoms and patient QoL (assessed by visual analog scale and the Quality of Life in Children with Vernal Keratoconjunctivitis questionnaire) improved in all 3 groups, with significant improvements for high-dose CsA CE versus vehicle. The efficacy of high-dose CsA CE in improving keratitis, symptoms, and QoL for those with severe VKC was demonstrated in these study patients. In addition, in this study cohort, CsA CE was well tolerated.

Instantaneous vehicle fuel consumption estimation using smartphones and recurrent neural networks

The high level of air pollution in urban areas, caused in no small extent by road transport, requires the implementation of continuous and accurate monitoring techniques if emissions are to be minimized. The primary motivation for this paper is to enable fine spatiotemporal monitoring based on crowd sensing, whereby the instantaneous fuel consumption of a vehicle is estimated using smartphone measurements. To this end, a surrogate method based on indirect monitoring using Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs) that process a smartphone's GPS position, speed, altitude, acceleration and number of visible satellites is proposed. Extensive field trials were conducted to gather smartphone and fuel consumption data at a wide range of driving conditions. Two different RNN types were explored, and a parametric analysis was performed to define a suitable architecture. Various training methods for tuning the RNN were evaluated based on performance and computational burden. The resulting estimator was compared with others found in the literature, and the results confirm its superior performance. The potential impact of the proposed method is noteworthy as it can facilitate accurate monitoring of in-use vehicle fuel consumption and emissions at large scales by exploiting available smartphone measurements.

A solution methodology for carpooling systems based on double auctions and cooperative coevolutionary particle swarms

Although carpooling provides a way to achieve higher efficiency and lower costs of a transport system by grouping people and sharing cars or vehicles in use, it is still not widely accepted. Several studies indicate that cost savings and timeliness are the main incentives for acceptance of the carpooling business model. However, existing studies are deficient in supporting operations of carpooling business model from specifying the requirements of drivers and passengers, matching drivers with passengers to allocating cost savings among ridesharing participants. A pragmatic solution methodology to maximize cost savings while respecting timing constraints and allocate cost savings in carpooling systems is a critical factor for ensuring the success of carpooling business model. The problem to maximize cost savings subject to capacity constraints and timing constraints can be formulated as an integer programming problem. Although there are several works for solving carpooling problems based on metaheuristic approaches, existing studies on application of metaheuristic approaches in carpooling problems are still limited. Motivated by deficiencies of existing studies discussed above, this paper aims to (1) propose a carpooling model based on double auctions, (2) formulate the carpooling problem and develop a discrete cooperative coevolving particle swarm optimization (DCCPSO) algorithm to solve the problem (3) propose a cost savings allocation scheme to benefit ridesharing participants (4) study the influence of detour distance constraints on performance and (5) study the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm by comparing with other metaheuristic algorithms through experiments. Simulation results indicate that the proposed DCCPSO algorithm significantly outperforms several existing algorithms in solving the carpooling problem.

Analysis of the public transport utilization in Lublin

Proper public transport vehicles utilization is a key factor in effective and efficient communication in every city. Number of vehicles in use at any point in time is crucial piece of information to both transportation organizers and carriers, since it allows for control and reaction in case of an emergency. This article presents an analysis of public transport vehicles utilization in regard to day of the week and carriers responsible for public transport in Lublin.

High air pollution in vehicle cabins due to traffic nanoparticle emission exposure and a solution for in-use vehicles

Vehicles operating in dense traffic take their cabin air from the low diluted exhaust gas cloud produced by other cars or trucks running ahead of them. They usually take it at a low level where the particle concentration and the concentration of heavy gases like NO2 are still high. Cabin air is thus collecting and storing emission peaks and air pollution in car cabins can therefore be extremely high - often ten times higher than even at roadside. Drivers commuting in big cities, taxi drivers, truckers and school buses might be exposed to this high pollution for several hours per working day, a group put at very high health risk.Cabin air of today’s vehicles usually passes a filter, but these filters are designed for visible road dust and pollen and according to the existing standards filtration of particles < 1 μm is very low. Lung penetration however, only starts < 0.5 μm. In the long run this could be changed by installing different filter systems, but what about the existing fleet? A filter system has been developed to reduce the concentration of ambient ultrafine particles in vehicle cabin air of in-use vehicles to very low levels, which is presented here.

Can electric vehicles significantly reduce our dependence on non-renewable energy? Scenarios of compact vehicles in the UK as a case in point

Electric vehicles (EVs) are increasingly regarded as the way forward to deliver a much-needed improvement in the transport sector's sustainability profile, and the UK is embarking on a major transition towards them. While previous studies focused mainly on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, this article assesses the extent to which EVs may contribute to reducing the UK's dependence on (mostly imported) non-renewable primary energy. The study combines a life-cycle model of a compact battery electric vehicle (BEV) with a prospective energy analysis of a range of electricity supply alternatives for the vehicle's use phase. The key metric analysed is the non-renewable cumulative energy demand (nr-CED). Results show that, already under current conditions, the nr-CED of a compact BEV in the UK is lower by approximately 34% with respect to that of an otherwise similar internal combustion engine vehicle (ICEV). Such reduction is then expected to improve further under all future scenarios, indicating that a transition to EVs is indeed a recommendable option to reduce the UK's demand for non-renewable energy, especially if this is accompanied by a shift to a more renewable electric grid.

Technology adoption among farmers in Jilin Province, China

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate factors influencing intent to adopt unmanned aerial vehicles for use in agricultural operations in Jilin Province, China.Design/methodology/approachThis paper uses probit analysis to estimate the influence of factors on intent to adopt unmanned aerial vehicles for plant protection application operations in Jilin Province, China based on the Technology Acceptance Model.FindingsUAV technology is acceptable to most participating farmers. Gender (male), agricultural income ratio, understanding of new technology, perceived ease-of-use and perceived usefulness have a positive relationship with farmers’ willingness to adopt UAVs.Practical implicationsFor application, crop monitoring and other farm operations, UAVs have clear advantages. There remain challenges associated with the development of applicable technology and facilitating adoption among farmers. Understanding factors affecting adoption will contribute to the latter, and brings forth the following recommendations: conduct research on the cost effectiveness of UAVs for agriculture; accelerate development of the information service system; and increase financial support.Originality/valueThis paper is among the first to consider adoption intent among Chinese farmers of use of UAVs for agricultural operations.

The Promise of Sustainable Magnesium Composite Technology for Greener Future

Ethical research that ensures the enhancement of quality of human life for present and future generations is the need of the day. This inherits the typical requirement to impose zero or minimal stress on the environment. Currently, planet earth is witnessing global warming and largely unpredictable weather changes, primarily due to greenhouse gas emissions. Transportation sector is one of the major engineering sectors contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. One way to mitigate/minimize these emissions is to use lightweight materials in the construction of vehicles for use in land, water, aerospace and space applications. Towards this, magnesium based materials are viable options which are suitable to replace aluminum based materials allowing ~ 35% weight saving on a component basis. As magnesium is abundant in nature and is a nutritional element, its availability and recyclability is not an issue. Accordingly, this paper will focus on the development of magnesium based nanocomposites capable of replacing conventional materials in multiple engineering and biomedical applications.

운행 경유차용 NDUV 방식 NOx분석기 개발 및 신뢰성 확보 연구

운행 경유차용 NDUV 방식 NOx분석기 개발 및 신뢰성 확보 연구

Deriving fuel-based emission factor thresholds to interpret heavy-duty vehicle roadside plume measurements

ABSTRACTRemote sensing devices have been used for decades to measure gaseous emissions from individual vehicles at the roadside. Systems have also been developed that entrain diluted exhaust and can also measure particulate matter (PM) emissions. In 2015, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) reported that 8% of in-field diesel particulate filters (DPF) on heavy-duty (HD) vehicles were malfunctioning and emitted about 70% of total diesel PM emissions from the DPF-equipped fleet. A new high-emitter problem in the heavy-duty vehicle fleet had emerged. Roadside exhaust plume measurements reflect a snapshot of real-world operation, typically lasting several seconds. In order to relate roadside plume measurements to laboratory emission tests, we analyzed carbon dioxide (CO2), oxides of nitrogen (NOX), and PM emissions collected from four HD vehicles during several driving cycles on a chassis dynamometer. We examined the fuel-based emission factors corresponding to possible exceedances of emission standards as a function of vehicle power. Our analysis suggests that a typical HD vehicle will exceed the model year (MY) 2010 emission standards (of 0.2 g NOX/bhp-hr and 0.01 g PM/bhp-hr) by three times when fuel-based emission factors are 9.3 g NOX/kg fuel and 0.11 g PM/kg using the roadside plume measurement approach. Reported limits correspond to 99% confidence levels, which were calculated using the detection uncertainty of emissions analyzers, accuracy of vehicle power calculations, and actual emissions variability of fixed operational parameters. The PM threshold was determined for acceleration events between 0.47 and 1.4 mph/sec only, and the NOX threshold was derived from measurements where after-treatment temperature was above 200°C. Anticipating a growing interest in real-world driving emissions, widespread implementation of roadside exhaust plume measurements as a compliment to in-use vehicle programs may benefit from expanding this analysis to a larger sample of in-use HD vehicles.Implications: Regulatory agencies, civil society, and the public at large have a growing interest in vehicle emission compliance in the real world. Leveraging roadside plume measurements to identify vehicles with malfunctioning emission control systems is emerging as a viable new and useful method to assess in-use performance. This work proposes fuel-based emission factor thresholds for PM and NOx that signify exceedances of emission standards on a work-specific basis by analyzing real-time emissions in the laboratory. These thresholds could be used to prescreen vehicles before roadside enforcement inspection or other inquiry, enhance and further develop emission inventories, and potentially develop new requirements for heavy-duty inspection and maintenance (I/M) programs, including but not limited to identifying vehicles for further testing.

Use of Submicron Vaterite Particles Serves as an Effective Delivery Vehicle to the Respiratory Portion of the Lung.

Nano- and microencapsulation has proven to be a useful technique for the construction of drug delivery vehicles for use in vascular medicine. However, the possibility of using these techniques within the lung as an inhalation delivery mechanism has not been previously considered. A critical element of particle delivery to the lung is the degree of penetrance that can be achieved with respect to the airway tree. In this study we examined the effectiveness of near infrared (NIR) dye (Cy7) labeled calcium carbonate (vaterite) particles of 3.15, 1.35, and 0.65 μm diameter in reaching the respiratory portion of the lung. First of all, it was shown that, interaction vaterite particles and the components of the pulmonary surfactant occurs a very strong retardation of the recrystallization and dissolution of the particles, which can subsequently be used to create systems with a prolonging release of bioactive substances after the particles penetrate the distal sections of the lungs. Submicro- and microparticles, coated with Cy7 labeled albumin as a model compound, were delivered to mouse lungs via tracheostomy with subsequent imaging performed 24, 48, and 72 h after delivery by in vivo fluorescence. 20 min post administration particles of all three sizes were visible in the lung, with the deepest penetrance observed with 0.65 μm particles. In vivo biodistribution was confirmed by fluorescence tomography imaging of excised organs post 72 h. Laser scanning confocal microscopy shows 0.65 μm particles reaching the alveolar space. The delivery of fluorophore to the blood was assessed using Cy7 labeled 0.65 μm particles. Cy7 labeled 0.65 μm particles efficiently delivered fluorescent material to the blood with a peak 3 h after particle administration. The pharmacokinetics of NIR fluorescence dye will be shown. These studies establish that by using 0.65 μm particles loaded with Cy7 we can efficiently access the respiratory portion of the lung, which represents a potentially efficient delivery mechanism for both the lung and the vasculature.

Impacts of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from vehicular activities on the ambient air quality of Lagos mega city

AbstractIn response to the growing concern about the contribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from vehicular activities in Lagos mega city and their effect on air quality, PAH emissions were estimated using the emission factors approach. To make these estimates, PAH emission factors were calculated from the profile ratio of four PAHs emitted from vehicle sources obtained from the European Environment Agency's emission inventory guidebook, whereas the total number of registered vehicles based on the type of fuel they use for a period of 10 years was obtained from Lagos State Bureau of Statistics. Vehicle emissions were estimated using a combination of individual emission factors, the total number of vehicles in use based on fuel type, and the average mileage covered. The average highest level of emission of PAHs of 3.542 kilograms (kg) for gasoline‐powered vehicles was obtained in 2013, whereas the average lowest level of emission of 2.679 kg was recorded for diesel‐powered vehicles in 2007. In the same manner, 2013 had highest annual average total emission of 6.384 kg, whereas the lowest annual total PAHs emission of 5.727 kg was recorded in 2007. It is therefore advised that effective control measure should be put in place by regulatory agency to prevent personnel exposure to these hazardous substances.

Outer Membrane Vesicles: Current Status and Future Direction of These Novel Vaccine Adjuvants.

Adjuvants have been of great interest to vaccine formulation as immune-stimulators. Prior to the recent research in the field of immune stimulation, conventional adjuvants utilized for aluminum-based vaccinations dominated the adjuvant market. However, these conventional adjuvants have demonstrated obvious defects, including poor protective efficiency and potential side effects, which hindered their widespread circulation. Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) naturally exist in gram-negative bacteria and are capable of engaging innate and adaptive immunity and possess intrinsic adjuvant capacity. They have shown tremendous potential for adjuvant application and have recently been successfully applied in various vaccine platforms. Adjuvants could be highly effective with the introduction of OMVs, providing complete immunity and with the benefits of low toxicity; further, OMVs might also be designed as an advanced mucosal delivery vehicle for use as a vaccine carrier. In this review, we discuss adjuvant development, and provide an overview of novel OMV adjuvants and delivery vehicles. We also suggest future directions for adjuvant research. Overall, we believe that OMV adjuvants would find high value in vaccine formulation in the future.

Application of alginate microbeads as a carrier of bone morphogenetic protein-2 for bone regeneration.

Bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) is commonly used to enhance bone regeneration. The potential of BMP-2 for bone regeneration varies according to the concentration and release kinetics on the implanted site. Therefore, it is important to determine appropriate carriers of BMP-2. However, no optimal delivery vehicles have been identified. In the present study, we used alginate microbeads as a delivery vehicle for BMP-2. Alginate microbeads can be implanted onto the disease site through surgery or injection. The objective of this study was to evaluate that the osteoinductive properties of BMP-2 are effective in alginate microbeads as a carrier. In this study, the release kinetics of BMP-2 in alginate microbeads was evaluated using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. BMP-2 released from alginate microbeads induced high alkaline phosphatase activity in canine adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells. Injection of alginate microbeads with BMP-2 into mouse subcutaneous tissue, as well as surgical implantation into the 5-mm circular calvarial defects in rats, was conducted and the results showed extensive new bone formation. In conclusion, alginate microbeads can be utilized as an effective BMP-2 delivery vehicle for use in orthopedic surgery and as an injectable vehicle for a minimally invasive therapy. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 107B: 286-294, 2019.

Eco-Driving Assistance System for a Manual Transmission Bus Based on Machine Learning

Driving assistance systems (DAS) is a key technology to improve fuel economy for in-use vehicles. This also reduces the operational cost of running a fleet of these vehicles, such as city buses. In this paper, we develop a novel white-box evaluation model using machine learning for a manual transmission bus based on previous research about fuel consumption sensitivity to driving style. Using the proposed evaluation model, an algorithm for learning path planning (LPP) for a driving style is also proposed. The LPP method plans a step-by-step shortest learning path for different driving styles to achieve eco-driving, while increasing the driver’s acceptance and adaptation of DAS. Simulation results based on vehicle and engine physical models show that the proposed evaluation model, a pure data model, can be used as an alternative to physical model for the eco-driving prompt strategy. The results of the verification show that the proposed strategy can progressively guide the driver to improve the fuel consumption by 6.25% with minimal changes to driver’s driving task and driving style.

The Effect of Using Ethanol-Gasoline Blends on the Mechanical, Energy and Environmental Performance of In-Use Vehicles

The use of ethanol in gasoline has become a worldwide tendency as an alternative to reduce net CO2 emissions to the atmosphere, increasing gasoline octane rating and reducing dependence on petroleum products. However, recently environmental authorities in large urban centers have expressed their concerns on the true effect of using ethanol blends of up to 20% v/v in in-use vehicles without any modification in the setup of the engine control unit (ECU), and on the variations of these effects along the years of operation of these vehicles. Their main concern is the potential increase in the emissions of volatile organic compounds with high ozone formation potential. To address these concerns, we developed analytical and experimental work testing engines under steady-conditions. We also tested carbureted and fuel-injected vehicles every 10,000 km during their first 100,000 km of operation. We measured the effect of using ethanol-gasoline blends on the power and torque generated, the fuel consumption and CO2, CO, NOx and unburned hydrocarbon emissions, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as acetaldehyde, formaldehyde, benzene and 1,3-butadiene which are considered important ozone precursors. The obtained results showed statistically no significant differences in these variables when vehicles operate with a blend of 20% v/v ethanol and 80% v/v gasoline (E20) instead of gasoline. Those results remained unchanged during the first 100,000 km of operation of the vehicles. We also observed that when the vehicles operated with E20 at high engine loads, they showed a tendency to operate with greater values of λ (ratio of the actual air-fuel ratio to the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio) when compared to their operation with gasoline. According to the Eco-Indicator-99, these results represent a minor reduction (&lt;1.3%) on the impact to human health, and on the deterioration of the ecosystem. However, it implies a 12.9% deterioration of the natural resources. Thermal equilibrium analysis, at the tailpipe conditions (~100 °C), showed that ethane, formaldehyde, ethylene and ethanol are the most relevant VOCs in terms of the amount of mass emitted. The use of ethanol in the gasoline reduced 20–40% of those emissions. These reductions implied an average reduction of 17% in the ozone formation potential.

Approach for Imitation of Manned Lunar Rover Acceleration Using Prototype Vehicle with Imitation Handling Ratio on Earth

The lunar surface is a complicated and unknown terrain, and hence, astronauts must be trained to travel on that surface by using a prototype vehicle on the Earth's terrain. However, the gravity of the Earth is six times that of the Moon; thus, the acceleration of a prototype vehicle on the Earth will differ from that of a manned lunar rover on the Moon, when the same acceleration handling input is provided. To obtain the same acceleration in the prototype vehicle on the Earth as that obtained on the Moon, an imitation handling ratio describing the relationship between the acceleration handling input and the wheel rolling speed is proposed in order to replicate the lunar gravitational conditions on the Earth. First, a whole-vehicle acceleration model was established based on the mechanical model of a deformable wheel with a mesh surface. Thereby an acceleration imitation algorithm was derived. A prototype vehicle for use on the Earth is proposed for the purpose of imitating the manned lunar rover under four different vehicle conditions. Fitted functions were used in order to obtain the imitation handling ratio. Finally, experiments were conducted to verify the imitation method; the results revealed that the prototype vehicle on the Earth could effectively approximate the same accelerations experienced by a manned lunar rover, when equivalent acceleration handling inputs were provided.

Analysis of the test criteria for vehicle containment systems in the Standard EN 1317 regarding the number of vehicles in use

Abstract In 1999, the harmonized standards EN 1317 relating to vehicle restraint systems came into force in Europe, in order to establish specific requirements based on safety features. For this reason, these systems have to overcome successfully the full-scale crash tests defined in these standards. However, some defined criteria are not in correspondence with the reality of Spanish roads. Almost a decade ago, in the United States, the evaluation criteria for crash tests were updated based on the new characteristics of the vehicles that circulated on their roads. Considering the registrations and fleet of light vehicles in Spain, a statistical analysis of the evolution that both parameters have undergone over the years is carried out in this paper. The outcome of this study shows, in a clear way, the change produced in the market in relation to the type of light vehicles that currently circulate in Spain.