The global aim of the ecoDriver project was to deliver the most effective advice to drivers on fuel efficient driving by optimising the driver-powertrain-environment feedback loop. More specifically, the focus of the project was on the interaction between technology and the driver, since the behaviour of a driver is a critical element in energy efficiency. Advice to drivers covers the whole spectrum, from previewing the upcoming situation, optimising the current driving situation, to post-drive feedback and learning.

The aim of the project was to optimise human machine interfaces (HMIs) and advice to drivers for both portable devices within the vehicle which provide assistance to the driver (nomadic devices) and built-in systems, and to compare the effectiveness of each. This was addressed across a wide range of vehicles — e.g. cars, light trucks and vans, medium and heavy trucks and buses — covering both individual and collective transport. Lastly, the project did not only examine (in both the field trials and the simulations) driving with current and near-term powertrains, but also with a full range of future vehicles, including hybrid and plug-in electric vehicles.