Smart cars 'prompt' fuel-efficient driving

When you are behind the wheel, it may waste a lot of unnecessary fuel when you start, speed up or stop your car. To overcome this situation, recently Nissan (Japan) and Audi (Germany) introduced two technologies to help drivers drive more environmentally friendly.

It is the Eco Pedal accelerator pedal and the Travolution traffic control system has the function to tell the driver what speed they should drive to avoid the red light on the track.

Foot pedal of Eco Pedal is fuel-efficient

Eco Pedal controls the driver's accelerated throttle process.Photo: Nissan

Nissan developed Eco Pedal as a solution to optimize vehicle control behavior. This is a system that combines an analysis of the necessary data when accelerating and situations that require acceleration to supplement mechanical adjustment when driving a gas tank. Every time the driver detects an increase in throttle, the system of Eco Pedal warns by pushing the accelerator back. This reminder helps the acceleration process be always operated in the mode of saving fuel consumption. Through testing, Nissan said that by limiting driving behavior, Eco Pedal could reduce 5-10% of fuel consumption of the car. The technology is expected to be assembled into Nissan cars in 2009. Currently, the manufacturer is exploring the tastes of the drivers to see if they appreciate an 'electronic nanny'. Eco Pedal tried to change their driving style.

Avoid red lights with Travolution

Travolution technology reminds drivers through signals displayed on the control panel.Photo: Audi

Audi's 'fake lamp' technology aims to regulate drivers who have a habit of trying to accelerate during the road to the red light (to avoid having to stop). In the past two years, Audi has tested the Travolution traffic control system in the German city of Ingolstadt. This pilot project connects 46 optimized traffic lights to limit traffic congestion. The number of these lights will signal when they turn green. Cars with Travolution technology will receive this signal and calculate the speed the driver should maintain to avoid stopping in front of traffic lights. So far only 2 vehicles in Ingolstadt have used Travolution technology. Audi plans to replicate the pilot program with an additional 20 vehicles and 50 more traffic lights in the city.

Fuel savings in transportation are not just buying hybrid cars (running on gasoline, oil combined with electricity) or designing cars with less energy but also making the driver more aware of driving so less fueled. most. In addition to Eco Pedal and Travolution, there is a movement in the world today called 'connecting miles' (Hypermiling). This is a way to increase the mileage by driving techniques that change your driving habits, thereby saving fuel. Or as Ford Motor proposes environmentally friendly driving tips to encourage driving behavior with less fuel consumption, such as gentle acceleration and gradual victory. Meanwhile, Japan - one of the world's leading automobile manufacturers - pointed out that in order to reduce fuel consumption in tandem with limiting greenhouse gas emissions, there are three aspects that need to be improved. good: vehicle technology / fuel, driving behavior and transport infrastructure.