Diesel engines can run on alternative fuels with software change

An Associate Professor at the Illinois Institute of Technology has developed a clever computer model that could allow diesel engines to run on alternative fuels. To take advantage of this, diesel-engine vehicles would only need to upgrade their suite of software, where applicable.

The Associate Professor, Carrie Hall, utilized a combination of machine learning (ML) and computer modeling to achieve the feat. This development is a welcome one in order to accelerate our transition away from heavily polluting fuels like diesel.

It is hoped that this development will greatly improve the sustainability of larger diesel-engine vehicles, like trucks, that are heavily reliant on diesel due to the large distances they need to regularly travel. For now, complete electrification of freight vehicle fleets is not really practicable.

Source: Interesting Engineering