As fuel prices remain high, drivers in Switzerland have been looking at ways to save money on petrol and diesel. Alongside proposals for a fuel price comparison app, and a call for more people to use public transport, Google Maps has announced that its new fuel-saving navigation system will be coming to Switzerland in the near future.
The "eco-friendly routeing" feature, originally launched for drivers in Germany, the US and Canada, allows motorists to find the route which, in theory, uses the least amount of fuel. Instead of the fastest and shortest routes, drivers will be able to pick a route that may be slightly longer, but will reduce fuel consumption by a significant margin.
The system works by avoiding hills and traffic jams in and around motorways and cities - although how the feature will work when travelling through the mountains to Swiss ski resorts is something that remains to be seen. In all, the new routeing algorithm focuses on reducing the amount of time the car stops and starts again to help save fuel.
The company hopes the system will appeal to Swiss drivers who want to save money on fuel, especially as the Touring Club of Switzerland reports that the average cost of a litre of petrol remains around 2,14 Swiss francs, despite crude oil prices returning to normal levels. The disparity between crude oil prices and the price at the pump has led the official Price Monitor for Switzerland to investigate fuel suppliers for excessive markups.
As to when the service will arrive in Switzerland, Blick reported that drivers have to be patient. A spokesperson from Google told the newspaper that, "We are working to support Switzerland and other countries as soon as possible," although declined to give an official release date.