ARCHIVED - Google Maps launches new fuel-saving function
Drivers can choose a route which will burn less fuel in almost 40 countries, including Spain
The ever-popular Google Maps navigation tool has launched a new function which allows drivers to choose the most economical route in nearly 40 European countries, including Spain, to cut down on fuel costs. From Wednesday September 7, as well as having the option to avoid tolls or motorways, motorists can also select the more ecological and sustainable routes.
The new functionality comes as a direct response to rising petrol and diesel costs, but as well as saving drivers money, Google Maps hopes the app option will help combat climate change. Simply put, minimising fuel consumption on a journey reduces carbon emissions, and road transport is now the most polluting source in Europe as a whole.
According to Google, the novel function will involve “defining the driver’s preference in the settings,” whether this be the fastest way of getting from A to B or the most ecological route, though there’s nothing to say these won’t be the same. The clever function will also show motorists how much they can save, and the time difference between the two options.
The only thing drivers need to do is specify if their vehicle is petrol, diesel, electric or hybrid, since the cheapest routes will vary depending on their fuel source.
The app also offers other sustainable mobility options to avoid “taking the car”, such as bicycle routes, on foot, shared vehicles or public transport.
The company’s commitment, by the end of the year, is to “give one billion people the means to make it easier for them to make sustainable choices” through Google products.
Prior to launching in Europe, the Google Maps route choice function has been introduced in the United States, Canada and Germany, where it is estimated to have prevented more than half a million tonnes of carbon emissions, the equivalent of taking 100,000 cars a year off the road.
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Image: Pixabay
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