SAVEGAS: Driving Feedback for Reducing Fuel Consumption; Social Factors Affecting Consumer Purchase of the Hybrid Vehicle

Air pollution is the second leading cause of noncommunicable diseases after tobacco, causing 6.7 million deaths in 2019 alone, and issues such as respiratory infection, heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer. Rising levels of air pollution are also directly contributing to global climate change, resulting in profound impacts on water, food supply, ecosystems, and physical infrastructure. Among sources of air pollution, research has found that road transport is responsible for 30% of total emissions. This is not surprising considering that the typical passenger vehicle emits about 4.6 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year, while the typical tree absorbs 48 pounds, meaning that the average passenger vehicle requires 212 trees to neutrally offset its carbon footprint. Furthermore, research has shown that higher levels of pollutants are present in vehicles during long commutes, resulting in statistically significant increases in pulmonary inflammation and reductions in heart rate variability (HRV) among young, healthy, active adults. Reduction of motor vehicle emissions is therefore imperative to improving human health and reducing the risk of environmental damage from road transport. This reduction in environmental harm is typically achieved through two primary approaches: advancements in technology that lower emissions independently, and changes in human behavior that reduce environmental impact even when existing technologies remain unchanged. These papers address both of these approaches by examining the social factors surrounding the development of the hybrid vehicle, a technological innovation that is designed to lower gas usage and emissions, and by proposing an application to encourage more sustainable driving behaviors.
Hybrid cars are a unique blend of gasoline and electric vehicles, using both a standard combustion engine and an electric motor to move the car. The battery is charged through regenerative braking, which can be used to accelerate the car again, saving fuel. To examine why hybrid vehicles have been rapidly increasing in popularity, I collected scholarly literature on green consumer decision-making as it relates to the hybrid car. This identified several key stakeholder groups. Environmentally aware customers focus on the positive effects of a green purchase, the availability of products, and perceived price fairness when making sustainable purchases. They are typically influenced by media coverage of climate change. Meanwhile, members of collectivist cultures perceive hybrid vehicles in reference to the well-being of society at large, and cost-savvy consumers take into account broad changes in the economy, such as changes in gasoline prices and unemployment rates. Consumers interested in purely electric vehicles are often dissuaded by their smaller range and higher risk of battery fires. Understanding key stakeholder groups is vital to designing and marketing hybrid vehicles so that they can become a more permanent alternative to gasoline vehicles.
Previous studies have shown that the way a driver operates a motor vehicle can have a significant effect on the environmental impact of their driving. To help reduce motor vehicle pollution, I propose SAVEGAS, a mobile application that provides users with detailed feedback on their driving behavior. The application will monitor driving performance in relation to a user’s current location, including factors such as speed limits, stop signs, or road gradients, to provide an accurate driving score for the surrounding conditions. It will also save trips in memory to compare driving efficiency across different days and routes and provide actionable feedback on how drivers can improve their driving scores in particular situations. The use of SAVEGAS is expected to positively influence driving behaviors, ultimately reducing users’ contributions to road transport pollution. Future work would include the development, testing, and release of the application along with ongoing maintenance and feature updates.
Rising air pollution levels continue to be a complex issue with no single solution. While road transport contributes to only a fraction of total air pollution, that fraction is still significant. Both papers offer insights into how technology can help reduce motor vehicle emissions. By considering the interests of key stakeholders in hybrid vehicles, car manufacturers can better design and market hybrid vehicles to reduce the environmental impact of road transport. Meanwhile, the proposal for SAVEGAS, while only a proposal and not a fully-implemented application, provides a starting point for both improving existing technologies in this space and generating ideas for novel applications. Future work could include implementing the proposed application, performing more detailed research into gas mileage optimization, and expanding features to incentivize users to use the application regularly. Applications such as these bridge the gap between innovation and real-world environmental impact, moving transportation into a more sustainable future.

School of Engineering and Applied Science

Bachelor of Science in Computer Science

Technical Advisor: Rosanne Vrugtman

STS Advisor: Kent Wayland