Japanese System for In-Vehicle Instruction on Fuel-Efficient Driving

8 March 2005

In an attempt to promote behavior that ultimately reduces fuel consumption and reduces CO₂ emissions, Kyotango City, located in Kyoto Prefecture, launched a project in October 2004 that is investigating the use of an in-vehicle system that instructs the driver on fuel-efficient driving. (Earlier post)

As reported in Japan for Sustainability:

These systems are being installed in official vehicles, private vehicles and taxis. The system detects sudden accelerations, abrupt slowdowns, harsh braking and idling, and calls the driver’s attention to these problems by means of a computer-generated voice and a monitor display. The data can be saved to assess effects.

The project costs around 80 million yen (US$ 721,000), all of which is subsidized by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).

Although the project ends this month, Kyotango City plans to continue lending the in-vehicle navigation systems out to drivers.