Garmin ecoRoute

The Garmin ecoRoute™ is a feature that is found on Garmin’s line of GPS device that provides users with a way to conserve both money and fuel. ecoRoute™ is free software that can be downloaded from Garmin’s website and also comes included with a software update for compatible nüvi® that helps users find more fuel efficient routes and helps them track fuel usage. With ecoRoute, users will have a “less fuel” option as a routing preference. When selected, nüvi will determine if more fuel efficient routes exist based upon road speed data and vehicle acceleration data for a given route. The ecoRoute’s Fuel Report also tracks fuel usage over time, and Mileage Report monitors mileage and fuel usage on a per-trip basis. Mileage Report also facilitates the business travelers by keeping track of distance traveled for company reimbursements. Users can also customize the nüvi by entering the car’s fuel economy and the current price of gas. The following devices are compatible with ecoRoute: nüvi 205 Series, nüvi 705 Series, nüv 1200 Series and nüvi 1300 Series. The Garmin ecoRoute™ features the Settings Menu which is a feature that is automatically added to the nüvi 205 or 705-series unit when users update the software via Garmin’s WebUpdater utility. The software update will help users create a new car profile when launching the Garmin ecoRoute™ for the first time. A profile wizard guides them through the set up, as a profile is needed to set various information about the vehicle’s fuel efficiency, as well as the cost of fuel in the area. The appropriate fuel type for the vehicle must be selected, as well as fuel cost to help properly calculate Mileage Reports and fuel costs per trip. The Garmin ecoRoute™ then requires users to enter City Fuel Economy by entering how many miles per gallon the vehicle gets when driving in the city. This can be looked up via city, highway, and overall average fuel efficiency ratings at the fueleconomy.gov’s website, which lists fuel ratings for virtually every make and model vehicle. Following that the users must enter the Highway Fuel Economy which is the miles-per-gallon rating for the vehicle. Once all the required information has been entered, the Vehicle Profile screen appears, and anything that needs to be changed or corrected can be updated later on. The ecoRoute menu provides the following features: a Fuel Report that provides users with vehicle’s fuel costs, the nüvi can calculate your fuel consumption, total fuel cost, and average fuel economy; Fuel Price that let’s users set/update the price per gallon of fuel; Driving Challenge which teaches fuel efficient driving skills by letting users play the “Driving Challenge” game. It lets users score points by accelerating/decelerating smoothly and maintaining a constant speed; Vehicle Profile that lets users change vehicle settings, such as fuel type and MPG settings; Mileage Report which displays mileage and fuel usage on a per-trip basis. Reports can also be downloaded off the GPS in Microsoft Excel format and Tips which displays tips for fuel efficient driving. The Fuel Report displays the following fuel-related statistics on a current trip: Distance, Cost of Fuel used, Carbon Footprint, Time Traveled, Average Fuel Economy and Fuel Used. With ecoRoute, users can have a “Less Fuel” option as a routing preference. When selected, the nüvi will determine if more fuel efficient routes exist based on road speed data and vehicle acceleration data for a given route. Mileage Reports also makes facilitates business travelers to keep track of distance traveled for company reimbursements. A detailed report is available for each trip driven. Mileage Reports can be viewed directly on the nüvi, or copied to a computer and viewed on a PC/MAC. To view Mileage Reports on a computer, users simply connect the nüvi to the PC/MAC using a standard USB cable, then open the Reports folder. The Mileage Reports are stored in a file called mileage.csv. CSV, or Comma Separated Values files which can be viewed using various programs, including Microsoft Excel, Apple iWork, or Notepad. Garmin’s ecoRoute is aimed to help drivers save money, and provides business travelers with good mileage logging capabilities. The Mileage Report aids drivers who must frequently file expense reports for work-related driving and keeps records of distances driven and gas used. Mileage reports can also be archived onto a computer and saved for record keeping or tax purposes. ecoRoute™ also provides seven tips on vehicle maintenance and driving behaviour to help optimise fuel economy and boost one’s green score. This includes driving within the posted speed limit and use cruise control whenever possible; avoiding excessive idling; using overdrive gears at appropriate speeds; checking and maintaining air-filters and fluid levels regularly as well as being regular with oil changes and use motor oil recommended by the car manufacturer; checking tyre pressure regularly, especially before long trips. Keeping tyre pressure at optimal value as per suggested in the owner’s manual; avoid driving with extra weight in the car and using alternative fuel powered vehicles and public transportation whenever possible.

Reviews

“Garmin might want to consider allowing more than one vehicle profile, and MSN-Direct enabled nüvis should be able to automatically download gas prices into ecoRoute. Overall, ecoRoute is a significant, free enhancement to the nüvi that’s definitely worth checking out.” – (GPS Magazine, 2009)