Google Maps shows the lowest carbon road for car trips | Google Maps

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Google Maps offers drivers the lowest carbon route for their chosen trip as part of the search company’s new green policies.

Motorists will be able to determine which route has the lowest carbon emissions once factors such as traffic and road slope are taken into account. The new product launches in the US on Wednesday and in Europe next year. When times of similar trips are more or less the same, Google Maps will choose the least carbon option by default.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai said the initiative could save 1 million tons of carbon dioxide annually, or the equivalent of taking 200,000 cars off the road.

“Traveling by car is one of the carbon-intensive choices that people make on a daily basis. Starting [Wednesday] In the US, and in Europe in 2022, Google Maps will let you choose the route with the lowest carbon emissions if it isn’t already the fastest.”

Google added that it will make it easier for online car shoppers to see options for hybrid and electric cars, and compare them to models that run exclusively on fossil fuels.

Other green initiatives announced by the tech company include placing emissions information on the airline ticket price search engine, Google Flights. From Wednesday, users around the world will be able to see per-seat per-flight carbon emissions and low-carbon flight options. Hotel searches will also include information on hotel sustainability efforts.

Google has also revealed changes to its shopping searches. Where users are looking for energy-intensive appliances such as dishwashers or water heaters, the suggestions on its shopping tab will help guide buyers to sustainable options.

Google announced in 2020 that it aims to be powered exclusively by low-carbon energy by 2030.

“Climate change is no longer a remote threat,” Pichai said. “It is increasingly local and personal. Across the world, wildfires, floods and other extreme weather continue to affect our health, economies and future together on our planet. We need urgent and meaningful solutions to meet this urgent challenge.”

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