Google Maps Now Helps You Save On Fuel Costs With This New Feature: How It Works

Google Maps has become the de facto navigation app for most people. It is capable of a wide range of tasks, such as using Google Street View to scout a location before visiting, checking how busy a location is, and of course, setting navigation. Google continues to add new capabilities to this already functional experience, making the app even more enjoyable to use.

The search giant is now working on a feature that will allow users to save fuel. s As spotted by Times of India, this feature was previously only available in the United States, Europe, and Canada, but it is now being rolled out to India as well.

How Google Maps Allows You To Save Fuel

This feature is called eco-friendly routing, and it works by showing users fuel- or energy-efficiency estimates on certain routes keeping in account the vehicle’s engine type. Moreover, when this feature is turned on, Google notes that, alongside recommending you the best routes that avoid traffic and road conditions, it now also considers fuel or energy efficiency.

Ergo, you will get two routes: the fastest one and one that is the most fuel-efficient, and they may not be the same. If you choose to disable this feature, Google Maps only recommends you the fastest route, ignoring the fuel/energy-efficient option.

How To Enable This Feature

On your mobile device, open the Google Maps application. You need to tap your Profile picture or initial > Settings > Navigation settings. Now, scroll to ‘Route options.’ To turn eco-friendly routing on or off, tap Prefer fuel-efficient routes. And, to choose your engine type, tap Engine type. Select your engine type > tap Done.

If you have a vehicle that has an internal combustion engine, you can choose between gas (petrol) or diesel. If you have a hybrid car, choose hybrid, or if you have an electric vehicle, choose electric.

Google also notes that fuel efficiency depends on energy consumption for vehicles in your region, steepness of hills on your route, stop-and-go traffic patterns, and the types of roads.

We tired using this feature, but it isn’t available for us just yet; it is possible that this a gradual rollout, and this means not all users may get it at the same time.