Photo: Google
Google Maps has received several new-generation features in the last couple of years, and one of the most important concerns the way the application generates routes for drivers out there.
In the past, Google Maps was specifically searching for the fastest route to a user-defined destination, as its purpose was to get drivers from where they were to where they wanted to be in the shortest possible time.
Last year, Google introduced fuel-efficient routes, essentially giving users the option to choose a route that makes it possible to reduce fuel consumption and, at the same time, cut the carbon footprint of the vehicle.
However, it goes without saying that a specific route isn’t always as fuel-efficient for a specific car as it is for another. And it all comes down to the engines these vehicles use.
Google knows that in order to make this Google Maps feature as accurate as possible, it needs to take into account the engine that’s powering the vehicle. This is why the company is now silently working on an update on this front, with drivers to soon be required to choose the engine type in order to be provided with more accurate fuel-efficient routes.
As it was discovered recently, the feature is under development, and it’s currently in the early phases of building the 11.39. In other words, it could still take a while before it makes its debut in the production builds of Google Maps, as the search giant obviously needs to further polish it before it’s ready for prime time.
Nevertheless, it’s very clear that Google is trying to make the Google Maps routing model as accurate as possible, not only when generating the fastest routes but also for the fuel-efficient alternatives. I wouldn’t be surprised for more such improvements to be included in the future, especially as the focus these days appears to be on lowering the carbon footprint by as much as possible.
Last year, Google introduced fuel-efficient routes, essentially giving users the option to choose a route that makes it possible to reduce fuel consumption and, at the same time, cut the carbon footprint of the vehicle.
However, it goes without saying that a specific route isn’t always as fuel-efficient for a specific car as it is for another. And it all comes down to the engines these vehicles use.
Google knows that in order to make this Google Maps feature as accurate as possible, it needs to take into account the engine that’s powering the vehicle. This is why the company is now silently working on an update on this front, with drivers to soon be required to choose the engine type in order to be provided with more accurate fuel-efficient routes.
As it was discovered recently, the feature is under development, and it’s currently in the early phases of building the 11.39. In other words, it could still take a while before it makes its debut in the production builds of Google Maps, as the search giant obviously needs to further polish it before it’s ready for prime time.
Nevertheless, it’s very clear that Google is trying to make the Google Maps routing model as accurate as possible, not only when generating the fastest routes but also for the fuel-efficient alternatives. I wouldn’t be surprised for more such improvements to be included in the future, especially as the focus these days appears to be on lowering the carbon footprint by as much as possible.
Google News