OBD-II sensor diagnostics for monitoring vehicle operation and consumption

Road vehicles operations are continuously monitored through physical parameters (temperature, air flow, rotation rate); such measurements are retrieved by electronic sensors and communicated, over the internal vehicle communications protocol, towards the Main Control Unit for further processing. In this paper we present our selection of parameters for monitoring key vehicle operations and briefly describe the sensors employed for the retrieval of these parameter values. The values are retrieved through the OBD-II diagnostics protocol and they are related with the vehicle operation and with the fuel consumption. As proof of concept, focused experimentation has taken place, through a 5 km trip with low and heavy traffic. Values retrieved from the OBD-II scanner are presented and discussed. In terms of evaluation, the raw values as well as the calculated measurements related to fuel consumption are compared with manufacturer standards and the user driving behaviour has been identified as the key factor influencing the fuel consumption for a given model.