- Maps has a tool that allows us to know which are the closest ecological routes
- By activating this instrument, you stop prioritizing the fastest route to prioritize the most ecological
- What are the steps to follow to activate ecological routes in general or specifically?
Google, like several other large technology firms, has expressed concern about climate change and global warming on more than one occasion. And its developers have put that concern into action, announcing some new features for one of their flagship apps. So, If you want to contribute your grain of sand to the environment, you should know how to find ecological routes on Google Maps. we show you.
In fact, some time ago Maps incorporated a tool that allows us to know which are the Ecological routes closest to our position that make us reach our destination instead of the fastest ones to the site.
Its executives explain that, so far, they have saved about “half a million metric tons of carbon emissions, the equivalent of taking 100,000 fuel-powered cars off the road,” and they want to deepen their model but for that they need the collaboration of the drivers themselves. I mean, from us.
How to find ecological routes on Google Maps?
Google rolled out eco-routes in Maps for drivers in the United States, Canada, and some 40 European countries by the end of 2022, and the steps to access cleaner routes are as follows:
Enables fuel-efficient routes in general
- Press the profile icon in your Google account, in Google Maps
- Tap Settings and scroll down to Navigation settings
- Under Route Options, turn on Prefer fuel-efficient routes to appear on the screen
Enable specific fuel efficient routes
- Search for any destination in the Maps app
- At the bottom left, go to Directions to navigate
- Enter the start location, and tap More, in the upper right corner
- Select Route Options and set Prefer fuel-efficient routes
Once you have activated these options, when you ask for routes to reach a certain destination, you will discover that beyond the fast routes others are also recommended for being “more fuel efficient”. Google will even tell you how much less fuel is needed in case of taking those alternatives.
Of course, if you’re ever in a hurry and need to get there as soon as possible, you just have to turn off eco-routes to receive the fastest route details again, which is how Google Maps used to work.
In what other ways does Google help us?
Even when you don’t use ecoroutes or use them very occasionally, Google works on a program called “Environmental Insights Explorer» -EIE-, through which it offers cities «free access to map data so they can make sustainable decisions regarding cleaner transportation policies«.
How to adjust Maps routes for hybrid or electric cars?
Maps is capable of taking into account the characteristics of your vehicle when advising you on any of its routes. We could say that it is one of the most interesting things about the ecological routes on these maps, especially within territories such as Spain where the number of charging stations is less than what is suggested, and the data related to them never hurts if you want your trip to be pleasant.
- Go to Profile, Settings, Navigation Settings, Route Options
- Press Engine type and choose the way your vehicle moves
- If it is a hybrid or an electric, put it before in the Settings
- Press Add sockets to be able to view them on the route
With this set up, Maps will help you know what are the best stops considering various factorsincluding current traffic, vehicle charge level, and expected energy consumption for that trip,
What else will Maps do in the future?
It is clear that Google is not going to stop at this point, and a couple of years ago they reported that they were interested in being able to provide the “light sailing for cyclists“, a feature that will benefit those who want to move on bicycles without having to watch the screen, or risking your life.
For what is assumed, this instrument will allow cyclists to drive ecologically, accessing details of their consumption in the event of having electric bicycles to convince them to definitively abandon other more polluting vehicles. We will see what is the reception that the public gives to the function.
Have you turned on eco routes in Maps? How has your experience been with these routes?
