Your smartphone can help you become a greener driver. In the past several years, apps have been sprouting up that can assist you with monitoring your fuel consumption and much more.
It doesn’t matter whether you own a fuel efficient vehicle or even a gas guzzler. There are plenty of new apps designed for greener driving habits. Many of these apps will help reduce your carbon footprint and help you save money at the same time.
Here are some of the top apps.
- EcoDriver – This app helps to improve your driving skills to reduce fuel consumption. EcoDriver monitors your driving and lets you know if you’re traveling at recommended speeds for optimal fuel consumption. It also monitors abrupt acceleration and deceleration as well as engine idling. This app is for the iPhone.
- Green Driving Gauge – If you have an Android smartphone, Green Driving Gauge measures your driving and gives you tips on how to become a greener driver. Like EcoDriver for the iPhone, the Green Driving Gauge checks for high acceleration and frequent braking.
- Car Maintenance Reminder – Keeping track of tire pressure and oil changes is an excellent way to improve fuel economy and reduce your impact on the environment. Using the Car Maintenance Reminder app for the iPhone and Android phones allows you to watch mileage, fuel efficiency, services and much more.
- GasBuddy – This app is popular because it helps you find the cheapest gas prices. What makes it environmentally friendly is that it can help you find the nearest gas station. When you’re traveling, you won’t have to worry about burning fuel while searching for a gas station. This app is for both the iPhone and Android phones.
- Green Map – Looking for local farmer’s markets or green buildings? This mapping app for the iPhone will help you find all of the green spots in your community while you’re on the go in your car. It’s easy to find a list of green sites near you with this app.
- PlugShare – Do you have an electric vehicle? With the PlugShare app for the iPhone, you can search your community to find the nearest charging station for your vehicle. Besides charging stations, you can also find people who are willing to let you charge up at their home.
These are just a few of green driving apps. Search your phone’s app store to find even more that fit your lifestyle.
Some auto manufacturers are getting in on the smartphone app craze. Ford for instance has the MyFord Mobile app. This uses cloud computing to provide important vehicle information directly to your smartphone.
For people that own Ford electric vehicles, it tells you how far you can travel on a charge. The app can also help you find the nearest charging station. It’s an excellent way to get vehicle information from your phone.
As more people purchase hybrids/EVs and smartphones, we’ll probably see more of this pairing between vehicles and smartphones. The future is bright for green driving thanks to mobile technology and app creation.
