fuelLevel

Fuel level refers to the amount of usable fuel remaining in a tank. In vehicles and other machinery, it is monitored to inform the operator of remaining range and to trigger warnings when fuel is low. The measurement is typically expressed as a percentage of total capacity, as a volume (liters or gallons), or as a range estimate based on fuel consumption.

Measurement methods vary by system. In many cars, a float-operated sending unit sits in the fuel tank and changes a resistance in a bridge circuit; the instrument cluster reads this signal to display a level from empty to full. Modern vehicles may transmit the fuel level digitally over the vehicle’s data network and map it to a percentage or distance-to-empty on the dashboard. In aviation and marine applications, capacitance sensors, pressure-based sensors, or ultrasonic probes may be used, depending on the design and safety requirements.

Display and use of fuel level information include informing refueling decisions, trip planning, and engine-management or telematics systems. Low-fuel warnings and range estimators help prevent unexpected fuel exhaustion and can optimize routing and maintenance schedules.

Calibration and accuracy considerations affect fuel-level readings. Readings depend on tank geometry, fuel density, temperature, and vehicle attitude. Float-type senders can drift with wear and fatigue, and sloshing or tilting can cause transient fluctuations, especially in non-digital gauges. Modern systems often incorporate calibration adjustments and digital reporting to improve reliability.

In software and data contexts, fuelLevel is commonly represented as a fraction of full capacity or as a percentage, and is used to compute remaining range, fuel economy metrics, and alert conditions.