There’s no denying that ‘being green’ is a hot – and very important – topic on everyone’s lips at the moment. And we all know we should be doing more to be green – particularly when it comes to driving. So it’s encouraging to see that electric and hybrid cars are starting to increase in popularity, and the number of charging stations is set to increase over the next few years. But even if you don’t have an energy efficient vehicle, there are still ways you can help cut down on your fuel emissions and save money, using the latest developments in mapping technology like Eco Routing, as well as changing the way you drive (or ‘Eco Driving’, if you prefer).
Understanding the route you take
Before exploring how you can drive in a more fuel efficient way, let’s start with the basics: the road, and route you take. It sounds obvious, but the roads you drive – including anything from hills and sharp bends, to traffic lights making you start and stop more – can all impact fuel efficiency. And the way you calculate your route can impact the amount of fuel you use.
NAVTEQ commissioned a study* looking at the impact a navigation system has on the average driver, and the results speak for themselves. According to the stats, drivers in the UK who regularly use a sat nav system can reduce their annual driving distance by over 1,600 miles, cutting fuel consumption by over 350 litres. This equates to a potential 22% decrease in fuel emissions, or for the budget conscious, up to £480 per year!
Not only this, but further tests have been conducted comparing the ‘greenest routes’ with the ‘fastest routes’ across a range of different cities, from Paris to Frankfurt, New York to Chicago, and findings showed that drivers who drove the greenest route saved at least 5% in fuel per trip**. Some navigation systems include options for green routing advice, which take into account these factors so you can be even more fuel efficient when on the road.
Eco Driving
So once you’ve mastered the route you are going to take, the next step is looking at the way you drive, and how that can impact fuel efficiency. Too many drivers waste fuel by accelerating unnecessarily, such as when they're about to go around a bend or roundabout, or using the wrong gear on a steep hill. To be at its most fuel efficient, the car needs to be driven smoothly with a minimum number of speed or gear changes.
Eco Driving programmes generally advise drivers on how they should be driving, but some cars do offer green driving features which are automatically integrated into the car. These features can be independent of a navigation device and built into the car’s electronics, or made available through a portable navigation device which is then connected to a car’s internal systems.
Hybrid and electric vehicles
Hybrid cars attempt to use the electric motor as long as the battery lasts, before switching to the petrol engine. But the battery charge needs to be continuously and carefully monitored to make sure that it doesn’t run out. By adding maps to the central control system of the car, it can operate more intelligently. This means that not only will it be able to anticipate any changes to road layout so it can drive more fuel efficiently, but it also knows when recharging stations are coming up (so if there’s a station at the top of a hill, for example, it could drain the battery lower while climbing uphill). Likewise, by knowing that there are stop signs, traffic lights, changing speed limits or other reasons to break ahead, the car can employ ‘regenerative breaking’ techniques, where the action of braking actually recharges the battery.
There are many new products on the market which help both hybrid and electric car drivers read the road ahead and identify special points of interest to them. At NAVTEQ, we have produced a special set of interest information with data not only on the location of charging stations, but also on the type and number of connectors, opening hours, and the category of power feed available (e.g. quick charge, normal charge or plug in). We also reference other points of interest on our maps including the location of service stations offering greener fuels such as LPG or biodiesel (all of which can prove invaluable when on the road). Making sure the digital navigation system you use is updated can help you avoid missing out on many features giving you access to many of the latest points of interest.
So what next?
Looking at the technology available today, if you’re keen to start employing Eco Routing and Eco Driving techniques, you will be pleased to see the technology is already available on a growing number of cars and portable navigation systems. Hybrid (and electric) cars are becoming more advanced and are increasingly starting to incorporate Eco Driving features on the dashboard which monitor the demand on fuel consumption and efficiency of braking. So while the ultimate ‘planet friendly’ car may not be here yet, advances in technology are improving the green driving landscape. In the meantime, if you do have a sat nav, make sure you use it – and make sure it’s up to date so you stay one step ahead of road changes, as using a navigation system regularly can not only help make you more fuel efficient, but it can save you money in the long term.
*NAVTEQ Navigation Benefits Study (2009)
** Studies jointly conducted by Magneti Marelli and NAVTEQ
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