Smart gas pedal warns drivers when they are wasting fuel

Bosch's haptic gas pedal tells drivers when they are wasting fuel and warns them of approaching traffic and hazards.

Bad driving habits can cost drivers precious pennies, as well as harm the environment with unnecessary fuel emissions. With the driver’s foot responsible for a quarter of all fuel consumption, designers believe smart technical aids could help improve this situation. That is why Bosch is working on a new, smart foot pedal that will reduce fuel waste and create more efficient vehicles.

The active gas pedal signals drivers when they are wasting gas, so they can quickly respond. The pedal works with the electronic systems already installed on many fuel-saving cars. It is connected to driving assistant systems, and interacts with cloud-based navigation to examine external data such as traffic. The pedal flags drivers of fuel waste through vibration, and even applies counter pressure to reduce gas use.

Bosch says improving driver efficiency can reduce fuel consumption by up to 7 percent. They say their technology can also lower the risk of accidents, by warning the driver of dangers such as accelerating too fast in traffic or at sharp bends. The pedal will also work with hybrid vehicles, and alert the driver when it is fuel-efficient to switch to the internal combustion engine.

After cars sold in the US and Europe were found to be in breach of emissions standards last year, how else can automotive manufacturers improve fuel efficiency and embed sustainability into their products?