Digitalization and Automation in the Transportation: Pathways Toward Decarbonization, Enhanced Energy Efficiency and Energy Conservation
A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "B: Energy and Environment".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 November 2025 | Viewed by 12
Special Issue Editors
Interests: testing; diagnostic; cogeneration systems; modelling; optimization; energy efficiency; marine engineering, and hybrid systems; conducting energy audits of buildings, including audits of heating and air conditioning installations in buildings, as well as renewable energy implementation and emission measurements
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Interests: fuel cells; computational fluid dynamics; mathematical modeling; flow field design; dynamic models of fuel cells; continuum models; water and heat management; temporally and spatially resolved fuel cell performance monitoring; development of novel sensors and monitoring equipment for fuel cells; graded design of fuel cells; engineering thermodynamics; hydrogen energy
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Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The transportation industry is rapidly transforming through digitalization and automation, enhancing energy efficiency, energy conservation, decarbonization and sustainability. This shift leverages sensor-driven data streams, IoT networks, and AI-enabled decision making to optimize vehicle performance, predictive maintenance, and real-time monitoring. A key innovation is the implementation of digital twins for engines—virtual models that replicate physical engines in real time. These digital replicas enable the comprehensive monitoring, simulation, and optimization of complex energy systems. By integrating sensor data with analytical models, digital twins provide operators with enhanced predictive capabilities, maintenance scheduling, and performance tuning. When integrated with hybrid energy systems that combine conventional and renewable power sources, they facilitate intelligent energy management. These technologies represent a significant improvement in the development of the transportation industry, offering the potential to improve energy efficiency and energy conservation, minimize emissions, and extend engine lifespan while maintaining operational reliability. The adoption of digital twins and hybrid energy systems reflects the industry's commitment to technological innovation, addressing both energy conservation and environmental challenges in transportation.
Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:- The role of digitalization in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in transportation;
- Automation's impact on energy efficiency in freight and passenger transport;
- Smart mobility solutions: integrating digitalization for energy conservation;
- Digital twins as enablers of sustainable transportation systems;
- Hybrid energy systems in transportation;
- Decarbonizing freight transport through digital automation and optimization;
- Energy management through connected vehicle technologies;
- Digitalization in urban mobility: pathways to net-zero emissions;
- The impact of AI-driven automation on energy efficiency in transportation networks;
- Policy implications of digitalization for decarbonizing transportation systems;
- Zero-emission vehicles, including fuel cell hybrid electrical vehicles;
- Alternative fuels (e.g., hydrogen, ammonia) and electrification support decarbonization;
- Real-time energy management and predictive optimization methodologies.
Prof. Dr. Gojmir Radica
Dr. Željko Penga
Guest Editors
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Keywords
- digitalization in transport
- autonomous vehicles
- decarbonization
- alternative fuels
- energy efficiency
- energy conservation
- energy management
- real-time monitoring
- energy management strategies
- hybrid electric vehicles
- fuel cell technologies
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