201107 – Pudney & Howlett – Energymiser: Past, Present, Future

In 1982, researchers at the University of South Australia embarked on a project to develop an in-cab system to provide driving advice that would help suburban railcar drivers improve timekeeping and reduce energy use. By 2000, we had developed specialised journey optimisation software that could quickly calculate an optimal driving strategy over hundreds of kilometres with any combination of gradients, curves and speed limits.

For the next ten years we worked with TTG Transportation Technology to develop the prototype software into a commercial product, and to demonstrate significant energy savings on trains. The system, called Energymiser, is currently being installed on freight trains in Australia and on high-speed passenger trains in the UK. Meanwhile, we are continuing to enhance the system, to make it easier to adopt, to evaluate, and to integrate with other systems.