Google Maps Can Now Help You Save Fuel While Driving: Here's How It Works

Ever since the introduction of Google Maps, travel has undoubtedly become quite convenient. Available on Android devices, this application helps users find the best route to their destination while also predicting the travel time. Google Maps has recently rolled out a brand new feature which is aimed at saving fuel during a journey.

Known as eco-friendly routing, this feature was introduced in September 2022 and was initially made available in the United States, Europe and Canada. The ‘save fuel’ option is now on offer for Indian users as well.

This feature needs to be enabled manually on the Google Maps application. It helps in providing an estimated fuel or energy efficiency based on the vehicle’s engine configuration and other aspects. The feature also evaluates certain factors of the route including the real-time traffic, route simplicity and road conditions.

Once analysed, the application will show the best route not only by considering the estimated time but also by identifying the most energy-efficient option. Thus, it might sometimes differ from the quickest route.

When this feature is turned off, Google Maps will only assist in finding the fastest route, without taking energy or fuel efficiency into account. However, users can see the most fuel-efficient route out of all the options as it will be highlighted by a green leaf logo.

Steps To Activate ‘Save Fuel’ Feature On Google Maps

1. Open the Google Maps application on your device.

2. Click on the profile picture or initial at the right top corner.

3. From Settings, go to ‘Navigation’.

4. Scroll up to find the ‘Route Options’

5. Click on ‘Prefer fuel-efficient routes’ to activate eco-friendly routing.

6. On the next page, select the ‘Engine Type’ accordingly

Steps To Use ‘Save Fuel’ Feature On Google Maps

1. Visit the Google Maps application

2. Key in the name of your destination in the search box or tap the place on the map

3. Click on ‘Directions’ available in the bottom left

4. Swipe up to find an option reading ‘Change Engine Type’

5. Choose the engine type as per your vehicle– Petrol, Diesel, Hybrid or Electric

As per information available on Google’s support page, if a user doesn’t manually select the engine type, petrol will be set as the default option as it is the most common powertrain across countries. The feature is also the same for electric vehicles but it won’t show the charging spots on the energy-efficient routes.

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