Automotive engineers have for many years attempted to measure emissions on the move by installing sensors in exhaust systems, but these have been short-lived: they have proved both very expensive and error-prone, and this has held back the development of emissions monitoring.

The Eco-Log uses a totally new method of monitoring the vehicle’s powertrain. Rather than directly measuring the exhaust gases, it predicts what the exhaust content should be from the various inputs to the combustion process. The Eco-Log uses signals obtained from the vehicle’s On-Board Diagnostic system (OBD) which is easily accessible and is used in every road-approved vehicle. These signals are processed through our suite of algorithms, which have been proven on laboratory powertrain design tools.

The values used include load, engine speed, throttle angle, engine temperature and (for diesels) injector profile, timing, shape and duration. These are plotted against the powertrain characteristics map. This map is populated by performing a number of standard benchmarking exercises on a number of different vehicles, ranging from light passenger cars to heavy commercial vehicles. An auto-calibration tool then interpolates the best powertrain parameter, map or measured node in each case. The emissions themselves are calculated in real time by a powerful simulation model. All these elements have been invented and patented by Lysanda.

The system is then integrated within a tracker device to provide a continuous stream of data on emissions and fuel consumption. A fleet operator can use this to optimise the running of his fleet for both fuel efficiency and environmental impact.