A comparison of vehicle emissions control strategies for smart cities

Abstract

Many studies have shown that air quality in cities is affected due to emissions of carbon from vehicles. As a result, policymakers (e.g., municipalities) intensely search for new ways to reduce air pollution due to its relation to health diseases. With this concern, connected vehicle technologies can leverage alternative on-road emissions control policies. The present investigation studies the impact on air pollution by (i) updating vehicles’ routes to avoid pollution exposure (route choice policy), (ii) updating vehicles’ speed limits (speed control policy), and (iii) considering electric vehicles (EVs). Vehicles are informed in advance about route conditions (i.e., on-road emissions) using the vehicular network. We found that by updating vehicle routes, 7.43% less CO emissions are produced within the evaluated region. Also, we find no evidence of significant emissions reductions in the case of limiting vehicles’ speed. Lastly, with 30% of EV penetration, safe CO emissions levels are reached.