Traffic Enabled Navigation Saves 4 Days Per Year, Lowers Emissions
New research from NAVTEQ, a provider of digital map and traffic data, says that using real-time traffic information with a navigation system while driving can save U.S. drivers four days per year while lowering CO2 emissions by 20%. The company states that traffic information is a key influencer in saving time for average drivers, with time savings of 18% per average trip when that information is available.
The study found that drivers with real-time traffic information experienced reductions in the distance traveled as well as an increase in fuel efficiency, leading to a decrease in CO2 emissions of .79 metric tons per driver, or 21% less than without a navigation system.
“This study continues to support the positive role that navigation plays in improving the consumer driving experience. “In addition, the study supports the tangible benefits of navigation on fuel savings and environmental impact.” – John MacLeod, executive VP of NAVTEQ Connected Services
The participants in the study had not previously owned a navigation device, and they had a logging device installed on their vehicles to track the route they took as well as speed they drove. The study results cover over 2,100 individual trips, 20,000 km and about 500 driving hours.
Previous studies on navigation systems for driving focused on the savings from not getting lost, as opposed to this one, which looked at drivers using the systems during their average driving habits. The study was conducted in Dusseldorf and Munich, Germany, and included three different scenarios: drivers without a navigation system, drivers using a navigation system, and drivers using a navigation system which included real-time traffic information. The data from the study was then projected for U.S. drivers.
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About the Author
Derek Markham lives in southwestern New Mexico and digs bicycles, simple living, organic gardening, sustainable lifestyle design, slacklining, bouldering, and permaculture. He loves good food, with fresh roasted chiles at the top of his list of favorites. Catch up with Derek on Twitter, RebelMouse, Google+, or at his natural parenting site, Natural Papa!
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