DESIGN OF A DIGITAL DISPLAY SYSTEM FOR FUEL CONSUMPTION MONITORING IN FOUR-WHEELED VEHICLES

Abstract

Real-time fuel-consumption information can support more transparent evaluation of vehicle operating efficiency, but low-cost direct-flow prototypes require validation before vehicle deployment. This study designed and evaluated a digital display prototype using an Arduino Uno microcontroller, a YF-B6 Hall-effect water-flow sensor, an LM2596 voltage regulator, and a 20×4 I2C LCD. A prototype-development procedure covered literature review, workflow analysis, hardware and software design, bench sensor testing, system integration, and evaluation. During bench testing with water, one reported sensor reading was compared with each nominal reference volume from 1 to 5 L. Percentage error was calculated as |V_actual − V_sensor|/V_actual × 100. The sensor readings were 0.98, 1.96, 2.95, 3.93, and 4.91 L, producing errors of 2.00%, 2.00%, 1.67%, 1.75%, and 1.80%, respectively, with an average error of 1.84%. All pointwise errors were below the YF-B6 ±3% specification. The readings consistently under-reported the nominal volumes, indicating a systematic calibration bias that may be addressed through calibration correction. Because the prototype was tested with water rather than automotive fuel and was not validated on a moving vehicle, the results demonstrate bench-scale volumetric performance rather than final on-vehicle fuel-consumption accuracy. The system is therefore positioned as a low-cost proof of concept for subsequent fuel-compatible and on-vehicle validation.