Swedish scientists develop green sat-nav
Swedish researchers have attracted international interest after developing a satellite navigation system that aids green driving.
The scientists at the Lund Institute of Technology say that their system can give fuel savings more than eight percent greater than those given by other methods.
While existing sat-nav systems can plan the shortest or the quickest route, these are not always the routes that provide the best fuel consumption.
Eva Ericsson, senior lecturer and member of the development team, told New Scientist that the new method takes into account factors such as the speed limit, the width of the streets and the amount of congestion expected in peak and non-peak hours.
"The most efficient roads are often those where you can drive at a fairly slow, constant speed, without having to stop or suddenly accelerate or decelerate," Ericsson told New Scientist.
While the Lund team says it might not be possible to measure fuel consumption on every street, it planned to extend its trials to see how the system could be used in daily driving.
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The scientists at the Lund Institute of Technology say that their system can give fuel savings more than eight percent greater than those given by other methods.
While existing sat-nav systems can plan the shortest or the quickest route, these are not always the routes that provide the best fuel consumption.
Eva Ericsson, senior lecturer and member of the development team, told New Scientist that the new method takes into account factors such as the speed limit, the width of the streets and the amount of congestion expected in peak and non-peak hours.
"The most efficient roads are often those where you can drive at a fairly slow, constant speed, without having to stop or suddenly accelerate or decelerate," Ericsson told New Scientist.
While the Lund team says it might not be possible to measure fuel consumption on every street, it planned to extend its trials to see how the system could be used in daily driving.
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