Newsletter 46

Using a satellite navigation system can definitely improve fuel consumption and reduce harmful emissions. This finding, already assumed by many who use satnav, is said to have been demonstrated scientifically for the first time in controlled trials conducted at Dusseldorf and Munich in Germany.

The exercise was mounted by NuStats, which is described as a social science research organisation and is part of the PTV group. The work was done on behalf of map producer Navteq.

Drivers in the trials, which were conducted in normal traffic in urban areas, saw a 12 per cent increase in fuel efficiency (consumption fell from 8.3 to 7.3 litres/100km), which is said to equate to a 24 per cent fall in carbon dioxide emissions (down 25 g/km per car). The annualised reduction in distance was nearly 2,500 fewer kilometres per driver.

There was reportedly a marked learning curve associated with the use of navigation devices. Greater reductions in trip times and distance driven were recorded in the latter half of the study.

 

The people in the study had not previously used satnav. It involved more than 2,100 individual trips, 20,000 km of travel and almost 500 hours on the road.