Driver Ed

July 01, 2008

    

Shave one mile per gallon off the performance of each car in America, and we use a little less gas. Five percent less if we average 20 miles per gallon nationally. $60 million a day if 200 million cars go thirty miles a day and gas is $4 a gallon! (McCain's $300 million hybrid battery prize would be funded in five days at this rate).

How can we scrounge up a mile per gallon? By using the fuel consumption panel commonly found in hybrids. A technology that has already been developed and is on the road today. The panel's 'right now' and 'five minute increment' information shows the driver, in a continuing education fashion, what shapes fuel efficiency, including things the driver controls.  Everything we know to do from being told a hundred times is seared into the consciousness by this graphic story line: brake less, bundle trips, no jackrabbit starts, inflate tires properly. This instantaneous feedback is worth at least one mile per gallon. The power of learning by seeing for yourself versus learning by being told.

Toyota might put the display panel on all its models.  Get everyone to do it (including truck manufacturers) and we'll wring a bit more from a barrel of oil by substituting brain power for gasoline power.

Sunglasses photo:  Altus Plunkett ( www.flickr.com/photos/altus )

Consumption display photo:  Gary Hymes

Comments

[Mysterymeat]

Great stuff - nice pix too. Feedback loop where once there was none reminds me of some of the new home systems that monitor energy use and let folks know how much juice they're using and when. Or like toothbrushes that tell you when you're done brushing. Or like beer labels that go blue when they're cold. Like bodies. :)

[Tracy]

Talk about a smart meter! This is excellent.