Though it’s alluring to think that electric and hydrogen vehicles may transform the way we travel, it is more likely that small, incremental changes like route optimization will play dominating roles in our future—at least until we run out of oil. Researchers from the University at Buffalo studying “green routing,” which is achieved when all drivers are traveling on optimal routes, have shown that it would be a more viable way to significantly reduce carbon monoxide emissions than relying on expensive, niche vehicles that return better gas mileage.
By combining results from two advanced computer simulations, researchers found that while green routing resulted in a 27 percent reduction in carbon monoxide emissions, it actually increased the length of trips by an average of 11 percent. This was achieved in part by diverting some freeway traffic to surface streets, and rerouting the traffic that would yield the greatest benefit. Experts see great potential in this idea due to its relatively easy implementation and low cost. Unlike alternative fuels or battery technology, green routing would not require massive subsidies or government mandates to be effective. Instead, it could be integrated seamlessly with global positioning systems (GPS) or online maps. Furthermore, since green routing would not require an infrastructural investment, it would be viable in the near-term future.
However, even when ignoring the limitations of the Buffalo-Niagara study, green routing is far from perfect. While GPS and up-to-date traffic may be able to provide consumers with the most fuel efficient route at any given time (rather than the shortest), it would obviously be effective only when in use. Also, since taking surface streets instead of the freeway helped reduce fuel consumption in the computer models, time-related issues may also arise on longer trips. There is also uncertainty as to whether companies providing online maps or GPS devices would even see the need to offer this type of routing service, and how well it would function in the real world. These issues will ultimately determine how quickly it is available on a large scale. Finally, since the most fuel-efficient route will probably not be the fastest, green routing might appeal only to a very small segment of drivers.
