Google has been building out the Auxiliary navigation on Google Maps for years now, to the point where the app is now a fully-fledged auto satellite navigation app in its own right. In fact, Google Maps often goes beyond what you would expect on a satellite navigation device. One such feature is the eco-friendly routing options that launched in select countries last year, which we can today report is due to reach more countries and is getting extra features to boot. Here is what you need to know.
Google Maps’ eco-friendly routing mode will help users plan routes that are optimized for the particular type of fuel their vehicle uses as well as telling them the fastest route available.
Users will be able to tell Google Maps what type of engine their car has and then the app will be able to recommend certain routes based on the optimum driving conditions for that engine type.
“For example, diesel engines are usually more efficient at higher speeds than petrol or gas engines, while hybrid and electric vehicles perform better in stop-and-go traffic.”
The new feature is made possible thanks to a partnership between Google and the US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the European Environment Agency. This means that as well the US and Canada where the feature launched last October and Germany where Google launched the feature last month, the feature is now able to roll out to users in nearly 40 countries across Europe.
Incredibly, Google claims that since its initial roll-outs, the new feature has helped to reduce emissions by more than half a million metric tons, which is the equivalent of over 100,000 fuel-based cars.
The feature is already rolling out to the new European countries meaning you should expect to see it land on your version of the app soon.
In other Google Maps news, both the iOS and Android apps have been subject to exciting new updates recently.
