How to Find Fuel-Efficient Routes in Google Maps?

There are lots of Online Maps available. But Google Maps is widely used by all the people and the delivery services. Due to its accuracy and additional features, People always stay with the platform instead of alternatives. Google also keeps adding new features often. They always add valuable things, even if it is a minor update. We can already view Parking Lots, Traffic Signal Locations, Live Traffic. Now they added a feature to Find Fuel-Efficient Routes in Google Maps. It is not a fast or slow route, and it considers the hills and other details to give you better mileage in your vehicle.

Google Concern about Fuels

Who doesn’t want to save more fuel? Every driver would welcome any safe practice that would keep them more fuel. Interestingly, Google Maps can help you show you the shortest, good route to follow to reach your destination.

Google seems to be working very hard to make life easier and better for everyone through its fleet of products. The company recently announced that it would be releasing new features to some of its products to enable its users to make “sustainable choices” and achieve much easiness in how things are being done.

Notably, Google Maps got a new “Lite Navigation” feature and “eco-routing routes.” The quality is live for both Android and iOS versions of Google Map. However, only people living in the U.S. have access to this feature at the moment.

Eco-Routing Feature On Google Maps

At the moment, this new feature is only available to Google Map users living in the U.S. The new feature shows drivers the most fuel-efficient route to follow to their destination; in other words, the part will show you the best, shortest way to follow to your destination; thus, you’d be saving more fuel and also arrive faster.

According to Google, the feature will be available to European residents in the coming year, 2022. Like the eco-routing feature, Maps added a new “Lite Navigation” feature for cyclists and bikers. This feature is for cyclists that want routing but don’t want turn-by-turn directions. Well, the part is not official yet – it’d be launching in the coming months.

Furthermore, when the new features are live, Maps would allow you to find bikes and scooter shares in 300+ cities across continents. In Google’s words, “Traveling by car is one of the more carbon-intensive choices people make daily. Starting today in the U.S. and Europe in 2022, Google Maps will let you choose the most fuel-efficient route if it isn’t already the fastest one. We estimate that this could save over one million tons of carbon emissions per year — the equivalent of removing over 200,000 cars from the road — and save you money by reducing fuel consumption.“

How to Find Fuel-Efficient Routes in Google Maps?

When Google finally releases the feature to all its users, arguably, you may need to update your Google Maps app to the newest version to get the part on your device.

• Open Google Maps app.

• Enter your current location and destination.

• Google will suggest the best route based on the results.

• In those results, It will show Parking, Available Tolls, and Live Traffic.

• Along with these details, In any available route, It will show the leaf icon. It may not be the fastest route. But in real-time, It can save your fuel by driving few more minutes. There is a difference between the Fastest Route and Fuel Efficient Route.

This feature is available in which cities?

Google confirmed that this feature would be available by the end of 2021 in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, and other U.S. cities. They also proved to expand it to other cities over time.

Is it voice integrated?

According to the news, this feature is voice integrated, and it means it shows the regular route details, and there will be vocal instructions about the route. While on apple, this feature is integrated with voice assistant Siri.

Future plans

Google officially didn’t talk about any plans other than expanding it to other USA cities. It may be just an experiment like many others by Google and may not be released in the future. 

Is it beneficial?

It is a very beneficial feature for drivers to plan their routes. Currently, we have the option on Google Maps to avoid ferries and toll plazas. Adding the efficient fuel option will give you a smooth and signal-free route to your destination, saving time and money.

Availability

The rollout, as expected, would start in the U.S. this year, 2021, while it gradually gets to other locations before the end of 2022. so, if you’re living outside the U.S., you won’t be getting this feature – at least, not this year.

But while this looks good from Google’s point of view, how do you see it? Does it look like a good upgrade, worthwhile?

Google also announced that new features are coming to Nest and Search. We’re in for a lot of decent upgrades from the American tech giant.

Wrap Up

There is a Difference in Google Maps between the fastest route and the fuel-efficient route. The quickest route sometimes may have the up roads, and it may consume additional fuel in your vehicle. The motto of this new feature is suggesting a fuel-efficient route even if it is a slow route. So, It is a user choice to whether to choose the available routes. It will be more beneficial for Travelers who use the vehicle for long distances. Since it needs lots of real-time data, Worldwide rollout may take a long time. But we can expect it in the popular cities soon. Did you get the Fuel-Efficient Routes in your Google Maps? Share your real-time experience below.

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Selva Ganesh

Selva Ganesh is the Chief Editor of this Blog. He is a Computer Science Engineer, An experienced Android Developer, Professional Blogger with 8+ years in the field. He completed courses about Google News Initiative. He runs Android Infotech which offers Problem Solving Articles around the globe.