Many commuters have GPS installed in their cars, or have purchased portable devices to try to get them where they’re going. A recent study by NAVTEQ, a data provider for navigation systems has demonstrated that using a GPS device can not only save drivers time spent in traffic, it can also reduce emissions from vehicles by up to 21%.
For their study, NAVTEQ looked at driving time data from commuters in Dusseldorf and Munich, Germany and compared those with access to live data on traffic reports through GPS navigation to those who got around the old-fashioned way; taking the same route to work everyday and sitting in traffic without amending their route. In total, the study determined that on average there were 2,100 individual trips made with a driving distance of 2,000 KM and 500 hours of driving. The findings of the study were that those with live in-vehicle navigation, with access to real-time traffic data, reduced driving time by 18%.
Over a year, that 18% reduction in travel time equates to 4 fewer days spent sitting in traffic, and that in itself can help drivers reduce their total output of emissions through greater fuel efficiency. By spending less time stuck in traffic congested routes, there is a decrease in emissions of 0.79 metric tons per driver, or 21% per year.
According to this study, similar savings could be seen in North American drivers who also travel along traffic congested routes when commuting to and from work everyday if they use navigation systems with real-time traffic alerts. Despite the fact that this study was completed by NAVTEQ, a GPS is not the only way for drivers to gain access to live traffic reports, including details about less congested routes to take since smart phones have similar mapping software, and even listening to live traffic reports over the radio can play a role in reducing the output of emissions from drivers.
As these devices and services are becoming more accessible to the average commuter, drivers can embrace navigation technology to play their role in emission reduction and lower their frustration levels which seem to go hand-in-hand when it comes to traffic.
Via: Autoblog Green
Images: Puatron on Flikr and Burning Image on Flickr with a Creative Commons License
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