Google Maps will steer drivers through most eco-friendly routes
Google Maps will start directing drivers to routes which generate the lowest carbon footprint as part of its pledge to be carbon-free by 2030.
The new AI-driven model will default to the most environmentally friendly journey based on fuel consumption, after analysing factors like road incline and traffic congestion.
Google says the feature will launch in the US on Android and iOS later this year, 'with a global expansion on the way'.
An eco-friendly route will automatically present itself when it has roughly the same arrival time as the fastest option. If this greener journey is due to take significantly longer, though, drivers will have the choice to compare predicted emissions with quicker routes, leaving it up to them to select a chosen path.
Drivers will also have the choice to opt out entirely if they’d prefer to receive only the fastest journeys available.
Russell Dicker, a director of product at Google, said: “What we are seeing is for around half of routes, we are able to find an option more eco-friendly with minimal or no time-cost trade-off.”
The Alphabet Inc. owned search engine said it's using insights from the US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Lab to create the new feature.
Siddharth Pathak, a partner at consultancy firm Kearney, said: “This is a great example of three trends coming together – the data, sustainability and consumer choice.
“It will also push those on the fence to make a deliberate choice of speed over sustainability and often cost.”
- 11 ways to reduce your driving emissions
- Low Emission Zones: What you need to know
- Rat running and cut-through traffic – should it be illegal?
Google Maps is also set to cater to drivers in cities around the world with low emission zones, by alerting them when one is upcoming or nearby.
A Google blogpost reads: “From Amsterdam to Jakarta, cities around the world have established low emission zones – areas that restrict polluting vehicles like certain diesel cars or cars with specific emissions stickers – to keep the air clean.
“To support these efforts, we’re working on alerts to help drivers better understand when they’ll be navigating through one of these zones.
“You can quickly know if your vehicle is allowed in the area, choose an alternative mode of transportation, or take another route.”
These alerts are due to launch in the UK, Germany, France, Spain and the Netherlands this June, on Android and iOS.
Looking forward to taking more eco-friendly journeys in your vehicle, or hesitant it will encourage unwanted 'rat running' in quieter roads and villages?
SALE – up to 40% off.*
•Cheaper than AA Price Promise or we’ll beat by 20%^
• We get to most breakdowns in 60 mins or less
• Our patrols fix 4/5 breakdowns on the spot
*97% of customers achieve max 40% saving on new Standard and Extra cover for 1 person. Ends 17/10/25, 10am. At least 10% of new customers pay this for single-vehicle Standard cover. ^Find the same cover cheaper with the AA within 7 days & we'll beat it by 20%. T&Cs here.
You might also like
Video
11 ways to reduce your driving emissions
Reducing your emissions is good for the environment and will also offer better performance, increased fuel economy and be cheaper to run
Low Emission Zones: what you need to know
As air quality becomes more important, measures are being put in place to discourage polluting vehicles from entering areas where air quality is poor.
What is rat running and should cut-through traffic be illegal?
We take a look at what rat running is, its negative impact on drivers and at what can be done to prevent rat running. Read more on the topic on RAC Drive today.
Clean Air Zones – what are they and where are they?
A complete guide to Clean Air and Low Emissions Zones (LEZ) in the United Kingdom. Find out everything you need to know about CAZs in the UK with the RAC.
The Bristol Clean Air Zone: What you need to know
The Bristol Clean Air Zone is designed to tackle the city's air pollution. We explain how it will affect you and your car when in and around Bristol.
Popular in News
1
Car buyers to save thousands as EV grant returns
2
Private parking companies issue a record 14.4m tickets to drivers in a single year
3
Drivers fined £1m from just 36 yellow box junctions in 2024
4
Road deaths on the rise in Great Britain
5
Private parking industry urged to publish ‘full and transparent’ complaints and appeals data
6
Drivers now able to search for new home that comes with EV chargers
7
Leicester’s Sean Kimberlin named as RAC Mobile Mechanic of the Year
8
Number of drivers caught using unroadworthy vehicles jumps by 52% in a year
9
Warning to drivers across the UK over fake parking apps
10