FCA raises PHEV geofence
Right now it’s only a small-scale experiment, but the Turin Geofencing Lab project previews technology city authorities could use to remotely control PHEVs (plug-in hybrid vehicles).
As in many other large European cities, car access to the centre of Turin is restricted. Its Zona Traffico Limitatois a measure designed to both improve urban air quality and reduce congestion. But there are exceptions…
Pure EVs are allowed to enter the ZTL. They don’t have pollution-puffing tailpipes, after all, and the freedom to move through low-emission zones makes buying an electric car instead of a fuel-burner a little more attractive.
But what about PHEVs, which are only part-time EVs? How do you make sure they run electrically when inside a restricted zone like Turin’s ZTL?
Some car makers have already added low-emission zone geofences to the digital maps of the sat-nav systems of their PHEVs. BMW’s eDrive Zones, for example, will automatically switch some of their PHEVs to electric mode when entering the low-emission zones of 80 cities in Germany, Austria, France, Switzerland, Belgium and the Netherlands.
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles aims to take this technology to another level with the Turin Geofencing Lab. The project, a collaboration with Turin’s Department of Transport, Infrastructure and Mobility, adds claimed world-first ability for a PHEV to interact with digital city traffic management platforms.
FCA’s e-Mobility Team and the Fiat Research Centre have developed on-board sensors that can independently recognise a low-emission zone. This is a smarter and more flexible solution than a simple geofence, which is only ever as up-to-date as its digital maps.
As the PHEV approaches a zone boundary an alert is displayed on the infotainment system screen and the vehicle checks that electric driving mode is ready for activation. If it is ready, the switch to electric is automatic. On exiting the zone, the PHEV automatically switches back to the driver’s setting before entering.
From the PHEV driver’s point of view, this works just like BMW’s eDrive Zones, and is equally useful. But what’s going on in the background isn’t the same…
FCA’s prototype tech also notifies the city traffic management system when the PHEV enters and leaves the restricted zone, a measure which should boost PHEV compliance with the electric-only rule. But the PHEV will also inform the system should the driver choose to switch out of electric mode while still inside the restricted zone.
If the driver ignores a recommendation to re-engage electric mode, the vehicle sends a notification to the city traffic management system. Such a notification could easily be made the basis for a breach of low-emission zone regulations penalty.
FCA-owned Jeep is supplying two new Renegade 4xe PHEVs for extensive testing on the streets of Turin. As well as verifying the effectiveness and reliability of the tech, the Turin Geofencing Lab project will speed development of it for widespread use.
