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The focus of the work is to carry out a study of the relative impact of the rolling resistance measurements on CO₂ emission and fuel consumption reduction for heavy-duty vehicles. For the purpose of the study, friction coefficients of the tires from tire test machine according to UN/ECE Regulation No 117 test procedure have been used. The rolling resistance coefficient has also been obtained from SAE J1263 and SAE J2263 procedure for coast-down determination on proving ground. The fuel consumption has been simulated and tested on the proving ground by following FIGE standard cycle and stabilized speed conditions. A simulation tool has been developed and validated by testing different rolling resistance coefficient tires, analyzing their effect on the fuel consumption. The analysis of the contribution of the tires to fuel consumption achieved on the test track has been correlated with the experimental results and those obtained from the simulation tool.

In a near future, platooning could become one of the most accessible strategies to help reduce the consumption of fuel and the emissions of toxic gases in the atmosphere, while also adding safety to the users and generating a better traffic flow. Nowadays, the auto industry and the governments are facing enormous challenges to reduce the amount of pollution in the atmosphere, to decrease the dependency on fossil fuels to generate energy and to increase safety on the highways. Several approaches are made, such as bio-fuels, hybrid and electric vehicles, engine downsizing and new modes of transportation that are more versatile and environmentally friendly. The downside is that most of this efforts are costly and require time and expense to be put to work. Platooning is an alternative option to minimize the impact to the environment profiting from the aerodynamic effects that occur naturally around a moving vehicle.