Patent ID: 8788173

Claim:
A system for reducing vehicle fuel consumption in connection with vehicle speed control, the system comprising: an engine producing a power output necessary for a vehicle to achieve a speed control setting selected by a vehicle operator; and a speed controller receiving data indicative of the power output associated with the engine, the speed controller further receiving input of a speed variation threshold and a vehicle's current speed reading, the speed controller being selectively activatable by the vehicle operator to cause a reduction in engine power output; wherein the speed controller is arranged and configured to cause engine power output to reduce by: monitoring said data indicative of the power output associated with the engine, determining whether the power output necessary for a vehicle to maintain the speed control setting selected by the operator exceeds a maximum desired power output, and when the speed controller is active and the power output of the engine exceeds the maximum desired power, communicating a control directive that causes a reduction in the engine power output to a level that reduces the vehicle's current speed reading within the speed variation threshold.