If you’ve ever watched professional racing, one of the first things you may notice is how closely the drivers follow one another. Running bumper to bumper is a strategic method known as drafting. It enables the driver to enter the leading car’s aerodynamic slipstream in an effort to reduce the drag force on the vehicle, using the distribution of air pressure to improve fuel efficiency. Can this racing technique apply to a motorist on the highway? Can drafting behind a big rig or semi-truck really improve a car’s fuel efficiency? This week on the blog, Jason Craanen and Nicolas Zagorksi of Altair, discuss how they tested out their theory from the safety of their computers using the company’s Virtual Wind Tunnel simulation tool to perform the experiment.