Applying the hybrid effect to regular cars

| Los Angeles Times

5/7/2008 - 5/8/08

DENVER — Hundreds of drivers here will serve as guinea pigs in a test that's part sociology experiment, part environmental advocacy and part Drivers Ed 101.

It poses the question: When motorists see how their own aggressive driving burns gasoline, will they stop the tailgating, braking and speeding that increase fuel consumption and contribute to greenhouse-gas emissions?

Some have argued that one secret to hybrid vehicles' superior fuel economy is the instant feedback that plays on the screens of many models, including the Toyota Prius and General Motors' hybrid SUVs. This information allows drivers to immediately tailor their behavior to boost mileage. It can become a game.



The program provides drivers of regular cars with the same kinds of information. Denver is the first site.

"People will modify their behavior," said Larry Goldenhersh, president and CEO of Enviance, a California-based company that developed the software technology for the program. "Frankly, the prospect of having this thing in my car has already modified my behavior."

Four hundred people — 200 in the city fleet and 200 volunteers — will have accelerometers installed in their vehicles that record every time they slam on their brakes, accelerate or take a corner too quickly. Such behaviors decrease fuel efficiency by 20 percent, Goldenhersh said. The goal of the program is to reduce emissions from each participating vehicle by 20 percent.





Once the devices are installed, participants can log onto a Web site and track how they're doing. In addition, monitors will be installed on the cars so drivers can get real-time feedback, said David Armitage, chief executive officer of Cartasite Inc., which manufactured the accelerometers.

Rapid acceleration wastes fuel because it floods the engine with extra gas, causing the car to burn excess fuel. And, when a driver rides the brake unnecessarily, the energy that was used to get the car up to speed is lost.

Losing less energy to starts and stops is one reason cars tend to get better mileage in highway driving than in-town driving — and why hybrids experience the opposite effect.

If drivers don't see the connection between their actions and the consequences, Armitage said, "we're not going to make a change."



When he started tracking his own driving, Armitage noticed he braked suddenly more often than he realized. That's because he tended to glance at his Blackberry while he drove, a habit he's since cut out, he said.

One volunteer is Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, who offered to put his own Ford Escape hybrid and driving skills to the test. "I lobbied for this. I thought it was such a great idea," said Hickenlooper, who's hopeful his own tracking device won't reveal too many bad habits. "My mother made me take defensive driving back in high school. I'm from the old school."

Ultimately, such efforts might help reduce Denver's carbon footprint, Goldenhersh said. Vehicles account for about 30 percent of Denver's emissions.