On the first day of the Cleanweek edition 2010 in Zolder, we took of course the occasion to test the “green” cars which were brought to the circuit, amongst others we took a closer look at the technology of the Audi A4 2.0 TDIe.

But this was not enough, I tried the 136 hp 2 litre AudiA4 with a professional “eco” driving instructor sitting next to me, Mr. Filip Van Thielen of Key Driving Competences NV. This firm has developed a training system, using a dedicated software developed in-house to measure and interpret the driving behavior and competencies of any driver in and objective and accurate manner.

Hans Knol ten Bensel

Althoug being nicely in fifth gear already, I should have been using sixth and have driven more slowly through the bend, as I had to brake hard for the next chicane...

Mr. Van Thielen had indeed his laptop ready, measuring every parameter relevant to driver’s behavior. Amongst others, use of the accelerator, number of stops or braking movements, rpm and gear used, and distance driven without braking or using any engine power. This shows clearly your level of anticipation in your driving style, whether you are revving too high, and so on.

The laptop measures all the parameters of your driving style, and points out mercilessly at the flaws... I was going much too fast apporaching the chicane, 76.6 km, as can be seen... and had to waste energy by braking!  

Of course I was very eager to test myself, or rather to hear the feedback of the experts here. I started off making the big mistake of using too much speed, of course the fact that I was driving on a circuit had a lot to do with it. I was not going to be awarded for making a nice lap time, this was economy driving and nothing more. But I forgot this. Using all the nice roadholding capacities of the Audi, I was proud to throw myself in sixth gear using hardly any throttle through the fast right handers, but I should have done this much more slowly, as barely a hundred meters further, I had to slow down virtually to a standstill to take the narrow chicane. I had to brake rather hard, what I should have done instead is  to coast trough the preceding bend and arrive nicely with a short touch on the brakes at the chicane.

The driving parameters used by the dedicated programme. Just flick "ctrl +" to see the measurements more in detail...

Then I made the mistake of accelerating just too slowly, with not enough throttle opening, out of this chicane. The instructor gently commented “you are a bit slow here”, but I understood the message. Acceleration out of very slow speeds should be rather brisk, as one should use as soon as possible the higher gears and corresponding higher speeds, and I was a bit too cautious here. Of course we knew that low revs and high gears are all you want (and need) but, as said, I learned that it is better to accelerate with rather more verve to get out of these “high-consumption” slow speed ranges quickly. All in all, taking into account the quite brisk driving, I clocked an average consumption on the circuit of 5,0 litres/100 km, which is not (too) bad, and I learned a few important things in the meantime.    

These are all the parameters the pupil gets to see on a spreadsheet after the test drive. This is just an example, taken from a city driving situation, as is the one below...

Instructor Philip Van Thielen showed me at the debriefing on his laptop all the measurements he had taken, from g/km consumption to distance travelled when coasting, under braking, etc. The accompanying picture shows you some of the parameters the software calculates. The firm Key Driving Competences NV offers training to fleet owners and companies to train their employees, and trains also professional truck drivers to improve their eco-proactive driving behavior. Judging from what we learned after a few laps, it is certainly worth it!

Debriefing is all important, and it is a job thoroughly done by Filip Van Thielen, with data on the laptop to support the lessons learned...

Look at the ‘Clean Week 2020 Trophy’…

The same Audi A4 TDIe will participate in the ‘FIA Alternative Energies Cup’ with Jean François Hemroulle, who was an official Audi pilot for years, at the wheel, teaming up with car journalist Gert Verhoeven.  This “Trophy” is a regularity and economy rally, where the prescribed average speeds have to be reached as close as possible. In second instance, the participants are judges according to their fuel consumption. The rally runs 2 days (8 and 9 May) and has 4 stages. Each car will run some 416 kms on the Zolder circuit. We are anxious to see the results!