NREL is a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, operated by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC.

Fleet DNA

P.I.: Kevin Walkowicz

Presenter : Adam Duran

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Annual Merit Review and Peer Evaluation Meeting

June 16, 2014

Washington, D.C.

NREL/PR-5400-61962 Project ID: VSS119

This presentation does not contain any proprietary, confidential, or otherwise restricted information.
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Overview

• Project Start Date: FY 2012

• Project End Date: FY 2015

• Percent Complete: ~60%

• Cost: Reduce the cost associated with evaluating 

and developing vehicle components and 

configurations by providing public access to data 

reporting and analysis capabilities

• Risk Aversion: Address risk issues by providing 

easily accessible info to potential consumers

• Computation models, design and simulation: 

Accurate modeling efforts require real world 

data for successful development and validation

• Total Project Funding for FY14: $500K

o DOE Share: $500K

o Contractor Share: Partner cost share has 

been in-kind support (vehicle loans, 

technical support, data access and data 

supplied to NREL) and varies by individual 

partner

• Funding Received in FY13: $400K

Timeline

Budget

Barriers

Project success requires a wide range of contributing 

partners from industry, government, universities, and other 

national labs. Key past and present partners include:

• ORNL – Data collection partner

• Industry – NTEA/GTA, Cummins, PG&E, 

Oshkosh, Waste Management, Zonar, Parker

• Research – OSU, CSU, NC State, Calstart

• Gov./Reg. – Clean Cities, SCAQMD, CARB, EPA, 

ANL, City of Indianapolis

• Project Lead – NREL

Partners
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Project Objectives:

• Capture and quantify drive cycle and technology 

variation for the multitude of medium- and heavyduty vocations

• Provide a common data storage warehouse for 

medium- and heavy-duty vehicle fleet data across 

DOE activities and labs

• Integrate existing DOE tools, models, and analyses 

to provide data driven decision making capabilities 

For Government : Provide in-use data for standard 

drive cycle development, R&D, tech targets, and rule 

making

For OEMs: Real-world usage datasets provide concrete 

examples of customer use profiles

For Fleets: Vocational datasets help illustrate how to 

maximize return on technology investments

For Funding Agencies: Reveal ways to optimize impact 

of financial incentive offers

For Researchers: Provides a data source for modeling 

and simulation

Each vocation in Fleet DNA 

has data products showing 

relevant use information

Relevance
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Milestones

Month/ 

Year

Milestone or 

Go/No-Go Decision

Description Status

12/2013 Milestone report to 

DOE

Draft report on project status 

and new developments

Completed

3/2014 Milestone report to 

DOE

Draft report on project status 

and data compiled

Completed

6/2014 Milestone report to 

DOE

Draft report on project status 

and data dissemination

Pending

9/2014 Milestone report to 

DOE

Annual report compiled and 

submitted to DOE program 

manager on project status and 

deliverables

Pending
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Secure Data Storage

• Establish data storage location and behavior

Database Structure

•Define database structure, data types, and process flow

Data Selection and Collection

•Determine high-priority data vocations

• Integrate existing databases and collected data

Data Reporting

•Develop reporting capabilities

•Determine reporting format and prepare for deployment

Integrating Complementary Tools and Analyses

• Vehicle modeling and simulation

• Economics and ROI 

Approach – Fleet DNA Development

Completed in FY 13, 

improvements ongoing in 

FY14+

Key focus FY14+
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• Data protection

o Data stored on secure raw data handling server

o Building badge access

o On-site security force

o Room key access

o Limited to data center staff

• Data transfer/upload

o Data uploaded directly from ongoing VT data collection activities or 

from data partners via secure FTP

Approach – Secure Data Storage

• Data backups

o Data mirrored on large 

storage array

o Regular tape backup

o Fire/disaster protection for 

copies NREL Data Center 

Storage Arrays

NREL PIX #18784
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Load

Calculate Grade 

Match to Street

In-Use Vehicle Data 

Files

Reference Data Sets

Data Processing

Analysis Results

Elevation

Streets (Navteq)

Lookup Elevation

Filter Speed

Standardize Data 

Unpack Vehicle Files

Census

Data Reporting

Approach – Database Structure
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• The majority of fuel usage in the medium- and heavy-duty vehicle sector occurs in class 2, 3, 6, and 8 vehicles. Ongoing 

data collection is focused on these weight classes and associated vocations.

o Vocations and truck types associated with weight classifications include: 

– Class 2 (Highest Priority): service van, utility van, work truck, smaller step van

– Class 3: shuttle bus, walk-in truck, step van, 

– Class 6: transit bus, school bus, bucket truck, straight truck 

– Class 8 (Highest Priority): refuse truck, dump truck, concrete mixer, tow truck, fire truck, tractor trailers (beverage, tankers, bulk 

shipment, etc.) 

• Growing interest in capturing CNG/LNG/LPG data in addition to existing hybrid/electric/conventional datasets 

Sources: DOE Transportation Energy Data Book – 32nd Edition, and National Academy of Sciences report "Technologies and Approaches to Reducing Fuel 

Consumption of Medium- and Heavy- Duty Vehicles."

Over 50% of all 

transportation 

fuel, and 75% of 

all medium and 

heavy vehicles

Approach – Data Selection and Collection
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Approach – Data Reporting

• Fleet DNA statistics are generated on multiple 

application levels and time scales, allowing for 

a wide variety of reporting

• Two-phase approach for public data reporting 

to address the interests of multiple project 

users/customers

o Phase 1 – Static reporting website

– Cumulative vocational reports and source data 

hosted on Fleet DNA website in PDF and XLS 

formats

– Provides easy access to reports and 

publications associated with data stored in 

database

– Links to additional analysis tools and projects

o Phase 2 – Interactive data reporting 

– Allows users to select, view, and download 

graphics and data of interest

– Insert Fleet DNA data directly into websites and 

reports

*Example – Reporting daily vehicle operating statistics for a 

specific vehicle vocation or weight classification

Reporting 

Options

Time

Microtrip

Trip

Route

Day

Week

Month

Year

Level

Vehicle

Fleet

Vocation/Class

Entire data set
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Collect Lab 

and Field Data

Capture, Store, 

and Analyze 

Explore & 

Optimize

Communicate 

& Inform

Identify 

Barriers, New 

R&D 

Opportunities, 

Validate 

Efforts

Partnership with Fleets and Technology Providers = Relevant Results & Optimized Solutions for 

Real World Applications

Approach – Integrating Existing Tools
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• Completed initial development of Fleet DNA data storage and web 

reporting databases

• Successful publication of six vocation-specific reports for major 

vocations of interest (delivery vans, delivery trucks, school buses, 

bucket trucks, service vans, and class 8 trucks)

o 34 unique data products per report

• Fleet DNA website developed and deployed for public data report 

dissemination: www.nrel.gov/fleetdna

Technical Accomplishments – FY13 Review
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City Limits

Sample Footprint

Cities Sampled

Vehicles Vehicle Days Distance Deployments

Delivery Vans 135 1,835 93,506 42

Delivery Trucks 21 237 12,246 4

School Buses 212 368 22,223 4

Bucket Trucks 20 216 5,858 2

Service Vans 14 143 3,310 2

Class 8 trucks 185 1,368 149,854 16

Transit Buses 20 378 48,738 6

Refuse Trucks 13 142 5,140 1

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Data Collection Timeline

Fleet DNA Locations Fleet DNA Data Summary

Technical Accomplishments – Data Collection

Fleet DNA Data Summary :

• 37 locations (FY 13 – 15 locations, ~150% growth)

• 620 vehicles (FY 13 – 334 vehicles, ~85% growth)

• 4,687 days (FY13 – 2,799 days, ~70% growth)

• 340,875 miles (FY13 – 101,794 miles, ~235% growth)

• 77 deployments (FY13 – 50 deployment, ~50% growth)
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Technical Accomplishments – Data Reporting 

• Successful updates to phase 1 data reporting 

website : www.nrel.gov/fleetdna

o Approximately 1,000 unique visitors per month

o 13 new unique data products added per report 

(total of 47, up from 34 in FY13)

– New data products include road grade 

and vehicle power specific analyses

• Successful development of new reports for 

major vocations of interest

o 2 new vocational reports developed (total of 8 

currently, up from 6 in FY13)

– Refuse trucks

– Transit buses
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Technical Accomplishments – Data Reporting 

• Initial phase 2 interactive data 

reporting website developed and 

awaiting public deployment in Q3 FY 

14

o Continuing to get feedback from fleet 

users, DOE, and other research institutions 

prior to full release of website

o Ongoing development of site planned for 

FY15

– Integration with DOE AFDC website

– Addition of new charts and data

– Continued refinement based on user 

feedback 

o Same vocations as static reporting website

o Interactive graphics to be inserted into 

existing Fleet DNA website as widgets

• Interactive graphics and data 

o Phase two enables users to: 

– Download custom data and graphics

– Insert custom charts into websites as 

widgets

– Explore vocational datasets by powertrain, 

weight class, fuel, etc.

– Turn data layers on and off for deeper 

analysis
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Technical Accomplishments - Road Grade

USGS Digital Elevation Model

>100B data points at 1/3 arc-second resolution

Filter and Smooth Raw Elevation

Remove errant data and attenuate noise from derivative

1

3

Match GPS Data to DEM

Raw elevation appended via spatial relation

2

Validation to Navteq ADAS Data

Agreement quantified over ~5M data points

4
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Technical Accomplishments – Mass Estimation

• In FY14 a preliminary method was developed to estimate mass based on drive cycle, fuel consumption, and road grade 

information captured from GPS/CAN and Fleet DNA

• Mass estimation method equates collected CAN engine fueling data to a computed required engine power

• Knowing power and vehicle speed, the algorithm then performs a minimization optimization routine that isolates and 

returns the vehicle specific power parameters (mass, drag coefficient*Frontal Area, rolling resistance)

• Preliminary testing of method, while promising, was inconclusive due to limited "true" mass data on hand. Experiment 

to validate and refine method scheduled for later in FY 14

o Using a weighted truck with known mass, collected GPS/CAN data while running on preset operating routes

o Employ Fleet DNA’s road grade determination method to determine the route geographic information

o Test, refine, and validate existing method based on experimental data

o Publish results of experimentation in FY 15 
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• Integrating existing tools and capabilities

o Ongoing goal of the Fleet DNA project is to integrate existing and future tools and analyses 

to allow users to perform downstream activities using real world drive cycles and vehicle 

specifications

• Drive cycle analysis – DRIVE Tool

o Drive cycle characterization and representative cycle generation via DRIVE. Integrated into 

Fleet DNA initially in FY13, with updates in FY14

• Fuel economy modeling – FASTSim & Autonomie

o FASTSim provides high-level modeling capabilities to estimate fuel economy for real and 

hypothetical powertrain and fuel configurations. Integration with Fleet DNA completed in 

FY 14

o Autonomie provides detailed modeling capabilities to estimate fuel economy, GHG and 

specific powertrain and component level data. Additional work planned in FY 14/15 to 

integrate Autonomie into Fleet DNA

• Economics and GHG – AFLEET/GREET and AFDC Tools

o Fleet DNA researchers are working to ensure the database and drive cycle information are 

compatible with other DOE lab/program tools and models 

o Additional work planned in FY 14/15 to integrate these tools into Fleet DNA

• Developing novel tools and capabilities

o In addition to incorporating existing tools, it is also the goal of Fleet DNA to develop 

additional capabilities which will help fully characterize medium- and heavy-duty fleet 

vehicle operating behavior

– Road grade determination (FY14)

– Vehicle mass estimation (FY14/15)

Technical Accomplishments – Tools
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Responses to Previous Year Reviewers’ Comments

Approach

"This reviewer stated that the cost and risk aversion barriers were clearly addressed by examples; however, no specific 

explanation of how the Computation Models, Design and Simulation barriers were addressed. The reviewer added that a few 

examples would be beneficial of either internal DOE or partners’ use in these areas." 

Fleet DNA serves as a data warehouse, storing drive cycle data for ongoing development and validation of current/future vehicle 

modeling software. Additionally, in FY 14 the data stored in Fleet DNA was integrated with existing vehicle modeling software 

(FASTSim), allowing users to perform rapid large scale modeling studies using the drive cycles stored in Fleet DNA. Having a large 

expanse of source data coupled with vehicle modeling software allows researchers, developers, and fleet users to explore 

opportunities for fuel savings in a low cost, user friendly manner. 

Collaboration and coordination with other institutions

"This reviewer noted the collaboration with ORNL and preliminary industry/government/OEM partners were noted, but cautioned 

this database will solely have isolated consumers if collaboration and coordination is not expanded upon..."

In the last year, significant effort has been made to expand the project partnership list in all areas (industry/government/OEM). Fleet DNA has coordinated with additional industry partners (PG&E, Waste Management, Minneapolis Metro Transit, etc.) 

extended collaboration with other National Labs/DOE programs/government/universities (ORNL, ANL, Clean Cities, Alternative 

Fuels Data Center, EPA, CARB, SCAQMD, GA Tech, OSU, NC State, CSU), and reached out to strengthen ties with OEMs/Industry 

Groups (Cummins, Oshkosh, Odyne, Altec, Smith, Navistar, NTEA). There will be sustained effort to continue to grow the user 

and project partner base over the remainder of the project duration as feedback from our project partners is instrumental in 

guiding the ongoing development and application of the data stored in the Fleet DNA database.

Resources

"This reviewer indicated that no matter how data is drilled down, somebody will want something different or visualized 

differently. The reviewer went on to say that having the public data report with multiple vocations is a step in the right direction, 

but having access to the public database for personalized data analysis would be ideal. Additionally, the reviewer said that 

desktop database analytical tools are becoming more available and widespread that would allow this database more general 

use." 

The Fleet DNA project has taken significant steps to improve the reporting and sharing of data stored within the database. As of 

FY14, there are currently two primary data reporting/sharing avenues available to Fleet DNA users. For higher-level data 

exploration, users can download static vocational data reports and source data from the Fleet DNA website. Researchers 

interested in analyzing second-by-second source data can access this information via an NREL-hosted controlled access portal.
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Collaboration and Coordination with Other Institutions

Collaborator Area VT Office Comments

ORNL Federal Lab Yes Primary Data Collection Partner working with NREL

ANL Federal Lab Yes Leveraging Fleet DNA for simulation work

INL Federal Lab Yes Contributing Drive Cycle Data to Database

CSU, NC State, GA Tech University No Leveraging Fleet DNA data for ongoing research

Calstart Research No

Provided Drive Cycle Data to Database. Leveraging Fleet DNA data for 

ongoing research

Clean Cities DOE Yes Assisting with partner recruitment. Supplying Drive Cycle Data to Database 

SCAQMD Gov No Provided Drive Cycle Data to Database

CARB Gov No Provided Drive Cycle Data to Database

EPA Gov No Leveraging Fleet DNA database for regulatory work

City of Indianapolis Gov No Provided Drive Cycle Data and Vehicle Access. Applied Fleet DNA to guide 

fleet investment

NTEA Industry No Industry Project Partner – Data and Project Partner Support

GTA Industry No Industry Project Partner – Data and Project Partner Support

Cummins Industry No Coordinating to share data analysis approach

PG&E Industry No Providing Drive Cycle Data and Vehicle Access 

Waste Management Industry No Provided Drive Cycle Data and Vehicle Access

Verizon Industry No Applied Fleet DNA to guide fleet investment. Provided Drive Cycle Data and 

Vehicle Access

Many Additional Fleets Industry No Provided Drive Cycle Data and Vehicle Access
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Proposed Future Work – FY14/15

Data Collection and Reporting:

• Expanding data channels stored in Fleet DNA to include fueling, powertrain, 

and emissions data collected from CAN bus (August FY14) 

• Phase 1/2 website and report development (Ongoing)

• Additional partner recruitment and data collection (Ongoing)

• Integration of results into the Alternative Fuels Data Center (FY15)

Modeling and Simulation:

• Mass estimation method validation (End of FY14)

• Integrate additional modeling software such as Autonomie with Fleet DNA 

database for large scale detailed modeling activities (FY 15)

• Integrate non-DOE tools, such as EPA MOVES (FY 15) 

• "What if" scenarios – select drive cycles and vehicle type, evaluate 

potential for fuel and cost savings over range of technologies and fuels (FY 

15)

High Performance Computing: 

• Deploy Fleet DNA in NREL super computing environment (June FY14) 
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Summary

• Fleet DNA serves as a data storage warehouse for medium- and heavy- duty vehicle fleet data

o Demonstration that vehicle drive cycle data can be collected and stored for 

large-scale analysis and modeling applications

– Data serve as a real world data source for model development and validation

– Storage of the results of past/present/future data collection efforts improves analysis 

efficiency through pooling of shared data and provides opportunity for "big data" type 

analyses

• Fleet DNA shows it is possible to develop a common database structure 

that can store/analyze/report on data sourced from multiple parties, 

each with unique data formats/types

o Data filtration and normalization algorithms developed for the project allow 

for a wide range of data types and inputs, expanding the project potential

• Fleet DNA demonstrates the power of integrating Big Data with existing 

and future tools and analyses

o Enhanced understanding and education possible when these capabilities are 

in place. 

– Users can explore GHG and economic opportunities via AFLEET and ADOPT modeling

– Drive cycles can be characterized and visualized using DRIVE

– High-level vehicle modeling can be performed using real-world drive cycles via FASTSim 

– Data reporting through Fleet DNA phase 1 and 2 websites provides external users access 

to analysis results and gives the opportunity to explore on their own 
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Thanks to:

Lee Slezak

Vehicle & Systems Simulation & Testing Activity

Vehicle Technologies Office - U.S. Dept of Energy

For More information:

Kevin Walkowicz

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

kevin_walkowicz@nrel.gov

phone: 303.275.4492

Acknowledgements and Contacts
Technical Back-Up Slides

(Note: please include this "separator" slide if 

you are including back-up technical slides 

(maximum of five). These back-up technical 

slides will be available for your presentation 

and will be included in the DVD and Web PDF 

files released to the public.)
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1) Working with the NTEA, City of Indianapolis, and Greater Indianapolis Clean Cities, NREL 

researchers instrumented 13 rear- and side-loading refuse trucks operating within the 

city of Indianapolis’ fleet to capture key operational data.

2) Captured data were uploaded to Fleet DNA where analysis & key metrics were produced, 

providing the city of Indianapolis with information to develop strategic procurement / 

deployment plans as well as optimize their current fleet operation.

3) To evaluate opportunities for future technology investment, existing DOE modeling 

software was leveraged to simulate the fuel economy of a range of possible advanced 

technology solutions using captured drive cycles.

4) Based on simulated fuel economy results, worked with ANL to apply additional DOE 

software tools to provide rough ROI and cost-saving estimates for future planning.

Captured Vehicle Data Analysis and Simulation of Data Smart Investment and Deployment

Technical Accomplishments – Applying Fleet DNA

NREL PIX #26732

NREL PIX #17146
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Used Fleet DNA’s Capabilities to Support the NCFP Fleets:

• "Quick" Assessment of Fleet to Identify Best Technology for Application

1) Captured key operational data from 40 "light aerial boom trucks" and service vans 

operating in 3 locations within a large telecom fleet 

2) Provided analysis & produced key metrics from acquired data to allow fleet to develop 

strategic procurement / deployment plans

3) Provided recommendation for appropriate drive cycles for analysis and testing of 

advanced technologies

4) Used data and analysis to simulate advanced technologies across observed drive cycles

Captured Vehicle Data

74.6% 50.6% 48.3% 35.9% 30.3% 31.4% 25.0%

6.8 mph 12.3 mph 12.6 mph 23.4 mph

Average Cycle Speeds:

Drive Cycle Recommendation / Smart Deployment

0.00%

20.00%

40.00%

60.00%

80.00%

100.00%

120.00%

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

Frequency

Route Distance (miles)

Aggregate Route Distance Histogram

Frequency Cumulative %

Analysis of Data

Technical Accomplishments – Applying Fleet DNA

NREL PIX #18127

NREL PIX #05063