Rising fuel expenses got you in a bind? Ease the pain with ValueGauge! Not a “hot chip” nor a secret emissions defeat, ValueGauge (Patent #8,630,792) is a unique electronic display to advise drivers of driving habits that yield the best value. Fuel and emissions savings of over 10% can be achieved, equivalent to lowering fuel price by $.50 per gallon at Spring 2026 fuel prices.

Instead of the traditional miles per gallon, ValueGauge answers the question “If I drive a little faster, or a little slower, how much more or less does fuel cost in relation to travel time?” I define the result as Dynamic Fuel Cost or DFC in $/hour, similar to a working wage. I formulated the math, then developed and patented ValueGauge using a microprocessor and digital display. ValueGauge obtains speed and fuel consumption data from the vehicle’s On Board Diagnostic (OBD) Port, determines if the vehicle is accelerating, steady speed cruise, or decelerating, and displays Dynamic Fuel Cost (DFC) in gallons or dollars per hour. ValueGauge works on cars and trucks and all powertrains and fuels.

ValueGauge yields three new interesting, profound conclusions: 1) Fuel cost of today’s speed limits at current prices is comparable to typical Minimum Wage (See Figure 2); 2) The fuel consumed to accelerate is independent of rate of acceleration; 3) Coasting (lifting off accelerator) before braking saves fuel that is worthwhile (See Figure 3).

ValueGauge yields its magic during deceleration by rediscovering the fuel-saving benefit of coasting before braking; most drivers currently lift off the accelerator and immediately brake. The author suggests that coasting was advised as a fuel-saving technique until emissions monitoring began circa 1970; fuel metering carburetors in vehicles of the era delivered a fuel-rich mixture during coasting, emitting high levels of unburned hydrocarbons and other pollutants (backfires!). However, modern engine controls cut off fuel flow while coasting for zero emissions; vehicles slow about -0.6 mph/second (-1 kph/sec). DFC during deceleration compares differences in travel time and fuel consumption between 1) maintaining cruising speed followed by braking (less time, wasting fuel), and 2) coasting (more time, saving fuel). Coasting before braking initially saves fuel at a high $/hour rate; for example, the first second of coasting from a steady 80 mph (at 30 mpg) takes an additional 4 milliseconds, and saves only 0.1 oz of fuel, for a remarkable DFC of 700 gallons ($3000) per hour! By contrast, braking represents an equivalent WASTE of fuel. Similar results can be seen even from an initial 40 mph. The rate of savings decreases rapidly while coasting, since the additional travel time increases every second. Who knew?

ValueGauge can be constructed as a stand-alone unit for a retail price under $200, an “App” for smartphones, or software addition to the OEM display. A limited number of hand-built prototypes are available for purchase or demonstration, and the technology is available for license. Contact the Inventor at David@TransportationValue.com. Drive Safely and save!