Google Maps includes from this Wednesday a navigation mode that indicates which route is the most efficient in terms of fuel, above variables such as speed. The tool takes into account the type of vehicle engine (diesel, gasoline, hybrid or electric) to calculate an “ecological route” based on its consumption characteristics. The multinational highlights that in addition to saving money on fuel, the new mode will help those users who want to reduce their carbon emissions.
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“Apart from the fastest route, Google Maps will also show you the one with the least fuel consumption (if it does not coincide with the fastest). With a few taps, you can see the relative fuel economy and time difference between the two routes, and choose the one you prefer.
Google has tested the “ecological route” mode in the US and Canada in recent months and has now decided to extend it to another 40 countries, including Spain and the rest of the European continent. According to his calculations, since it was launched in North America, this tool has helped prevent the emission of 500,000 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere, “the equivalent of removing 100,000 cars with thermal engines from the roads.”
In the EU, road transport is the main source of carbon emissions with 26% of the total, according to a report by Statistical. Google will be establishing the new option in Europe starting this Wednesday. “What is the route with the most efficient consumption? Well, it depends on the type of engine in your vehicle,” he explains: “For example, diesel engines tend to be more efficient at highway speeds than gasoline or gas engines, while hybrid and electric vehicles perform better in urban traffic. , with its constant stops and starts”.
The multinational has developed the new tool using data from the United States Department of Energy and the European Environment Agency. “We have combined this information with driving trends from Google Maps and have developed advanced machine learning models, which we have trained with the most popular types of engines in each region,” he details.
Google has also recently increased the information your browser provides about other types of low-emission mobility. In July it did so with the bicycle routes, in which it now allows calculating not only the fastest but also the one with the most bike lane sections or the fewest turns. In the case of electric vehicles, it has added information on where charging points can be found and, in some cases, what type of connector they have and how many are available at that time.
In this sense, the multinational has in turn expanded the data it gives on public transport, of which it hardly included information during its first years. Measures to increase this method of mobility are some of the most effective in reducing personal carbon footprint. In Germany, which established a flat rate of 9 euros, 1.8 million tons of CO2 have been avoided in the last three months, according to the Association of German Transport Companies. In Spain, the Government has lowered since September 1 the price of state transport passes to 50% and up to 30% for regional and local ones.
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