Study Indicates Automated Driving Systems Increase Vehicle Fuel Use by 10%

A new study in the Journal of Cleaner Production, using real-world data from a Level 3 autonomous vehicle, found that automated driving systems increase fuel consumption by approximately 10% compared to manual driving. This rise is linked to the energy demands of the automation kit's sensing and computation systems. The findings challenge prior assumptions about the minimal energy impact of vehicle automation, affecting future design and environmental considerations.