We all know that driving as smoothly as possible helps save fuel and cut carbon emissions, but how many of us have the patience or the foresight to ensure our journeys are undertaken without us jumping on the brake every few minutes?

Now a new technology promises to bring an end to the squeal of brakes and deliver carbon savings and improved driving comfort into the bargain.

Announced yesterday, the Sentience project from the government-backed InnovITS intelligent transport systems research body brings together automotive technology specialist Ricardo, Land Rover, mapping agency Ordnance Survey, mobile giant Orange and the UK's Transport Research Laboratory with the goal of developing an in-car "brain" capable of automatically optimising how a car is driven.

At the heart of the project is a prototype of Ricardo's new rCube control system, which aims to process external data about the car's surroundings and use it to optimise how a hybrid engine runs in order to conserve fuel.

The real-time external data, including topological information and warnings about upcoming junctions and traffic jams, will be provided by the Ordnance Survey and Orange's GPS network and will give the system the rich and accurate data needed to optimise engine configuration.

Any drivers concerned about becoming ever more reliant on the vagaries of sat nav coverage need not worry, according to Gareth Williams, group manager for solution products at Orange Business Services.

"The rCube will integrate with our Assisted GPS, which combines satellite tracking with location information delivered through the mobile network," he explains. "It means that when you go through those urban corridors where tall buildings disrupt the GPS, it automatically flips over to using the mobile network."

With a constant stream of rich locational data flowing into the control system, Ricardo is confident that it can deliver a number of applications that will significantly reduce a car's carbon emissions and is now setting to work on proving the system's effectiveness by installing it into a Ford Hybrid Escape.

The thinking is that the rCube will hook into the existing battery and engine management systems which operate the hybrid engine and provide drivers with the option to use the data about the car's surroundings to automatically smooth their acceleration and deceleration.

"If you are approaching a junction or a traffic jam and have to stop, the control system will optimise the deceleration to limit how hard you have to break and maximise the amount of energy that is captured and used to recharge the battery," explains Tom Robinson, senior product group manager for control and electronics at Ricardo. "It means that you get a smoother ride and lower emissions."

Providing the engine control system with an insight into the car's geographical surroundings should also allow it to increase the distances it travels using the carbon free power provided by the battery, according to Robinson.

"If you know from the information about the planned journey that the engine is going to have the opportunity to charge itself, then you know you can go ahead and drain it," he explains.

A prototype Escape, including both the rCube and some "very clever" air con management systems that Robinson is reluctant to reveal too much about, is expected to be completed by the summer in preparation for a six-month demo p eriod.

It is at that point that the Transport Research Laboratory will undertake tests on the car's performance and the companies involved will get a clear idea of the scale of the carbon savings the system can deliver. However, while reluctant to make a prediction on the potential savings, Robinson is confident that the improvements could be significant.

"Ricardo is focused on developing systems that will help the automotive industry meet its environmental and emissions targets and we see this idea as a definite route forward towards achieving that," he says.