Sentience seeks to assess and demonstrate the fuel efficiency improvements and resultant cost savings that can be achieved through the use of Telematics data.

Initially focussed on hybrid vehicle systems, the programme has significant synergies with, and applicability to, traditional powertrain systems.

The project consortium consists of significant industry stakeholders from the three key Telematics technology domains of Automotive, Infrastructure and Telecommunications. The consortium includes Ricardo, France Telecom R&D, TRL, Jaguar Landrover (with technical assistance from Ford North America) and Ordnance Survey.

This 18 month programme will be undertaken in three phases of work: simulation, prototype development and assessment.

Initial simulation will provide a benchmark vehicle model that will be used to explore new strategies that can utilise topological and traffic data to provide a more efficient and environmentally friendly drive.

These simulated strategies will then be refined and implemented on a vehicle that will be subsequently assessed against the simulated results and targets.

The assessment criteria will require the definition of new drive cycles that include topological data