SBIR Phase I: Sensor and Control System Development and Integration for Semi-Truck Fuel Savings Device

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is to reduce fuel consumption and improve safety in the trucking industry while increasing profitability. Over 70% of US freight tonnage is moved by the trucking industry, but at highway speeds, aerodynamic drag uses over 65% of the total vehicle energy. This project will develop a network of sensors and an artificial intelligence (AI-)control system. This will be integrate with an experimental device that modifies the aerodynamic behavior of semi-trucks using air injection, enabling continuously optimized aerodynamic performance. This project will create a sensor system able to describe the micro-climate of a semi truck in real time, and an AI-control system to determine the trailer’s best aerodynamic profile based on current operating conditions. This system would create an energy savings for all US fleets of up to 3B+ gallons of unburned diesel for an annual total addressable market of $20B. This SBIR Phase I project proposes development of an aerodynamic add-on prototype for trucks to save fuel by dynamically changing the trailer’s aerodynamic profile. To capture the operating conditions around the trailer in real time, this project will develop a sensor system to accurately measure the environment surrounding the vehicle. This project will explore relationships among environmental measurements, optimize the number and location of sensors, conduct the relevant systems engineering studies, and build a prototype. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.