Using OBD and GPS Technology for Pricing of Emissions from On-Road Heavy Duty Vehicles

Economists have long urged governments to use Pigouvian taxes to reduce emissions efficiently. Rarely has it happened, mostly because technology hasn’t existed until now to precisely measure in-use emission by location and time. In recent years, increasingly sophisticated on-board diagnostic (OBD) devices have been required for cars and trucks to monitor engine operation and measure in-use fuel consumption and emissions of vehicles. This paper proposes the use of Pigouvian pricing to reduce emissions from on-road heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs)—by utilizing emission data from OBD devices and location data from global position system (GPS) devices. Thus, emissions can be measured over time and space. The authors address the feasibility of using OBD and GPS devices in this way, taking into account the monitoring system consisting of OBD and GPS, designated area, pricing scheme, and the relationship with other related policies. They conclude that emission data can be collected reliably using OBD technology, and that location- and time-specific pricing policies are technically feasible.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper was sponsored by TRB committee ADD40 Standing Committee on Transportation and Sustainability. Alternate title: Using Onboard Diagnostic and GPS Technology for Pricing of Emissions from On-Road Heavy Duty Vehicle
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Wu, Yizheng
  • Sperling, Daniel
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 96th Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2017-1-8 to 2017-1-12
• Date: 2017

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: 17p
• Monograph Title: TRB 96th Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Diagnostic tests; Environmental protection; Fuel consumption; Global Positioning System; Heavy duty vehicles; Pollutants; Vehicle electronics
• Subject Areas: Environment; Freight Transportation; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01623404
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 17-01006
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Jan 24 2017 3:32PM