Google Maps launches feature to help users find ‘green routes’

During the virtual event Sustainable with Google, the tech giant announced the launch of a set of new features for Google Maps, which are intended to give people greener options for getting around the city and help reduce carbon emissions on the planet.

According to data from the International Energy Agency (IEA), vehicles on the road account for more than 75% of CO2 emissions from transportation and are one of the largest contributors of greenhouse gases all over the world.

To mitigate this situation, Google Maps will be updated with a “completely new route model” that will not only advise users of the fastest way to reach their respective destinations but will also optimize it for lower fuel consumption.

In a certain way, the platform will suggest the most ecological route when the time it takes to make the trip is approximately the same as it would take without taking into account carbon emissions. If not, you will have the possibility to choose the most convenient route.

Sarah-Jayne Williams, director of Google Maps, explained that the application calculates fuel use based on the incline of the road, traffic congestion, and traffic predictions. In this way, users can see an estimate of the savings they would obtain.

“We estimate that greenways have the potential to prevent more than a million tons of carbon emissions per year, that’s the equivalent of taking more than 200,000 cars off the road,” said Russell Dicker, Senior Product Manager. on Google Maps.

Thanks to artificial intelligence and other resources, the ecological routes function will be implemented from this week in the application for iOS and Android devices in the United States. In turn, Google announced that it has plans to expand its availability to Europe and other countries from 2022.