Smart Drive Challenge - Ready to Track Your Driving?Smart Drive Challenge - Ready to Track Your Driving?<div class="ExternalClassB634E191F82145FDAD132F4671E9F01E"><p>New technologies are available to drivers that connect to their car’s on-board computer, and provide more information about their vehicle and their driving behaviour. The <em>Smart Drive Challenge</em>, supported by Metro Vancouver’s Sustainability Innovation Fund, aims to better understand how “smart”, connected technologies could provide feedback that will enable drivers to reduce their fuel consumption and exhaust emissions through driving better and driving less. </p><p>The study aims to measure both the fuel savings achieved when drivers make a conscious effort to drive more fuel efficiently, and also fuel savings from reduced trips and kilometers traveled on a daily basis. “Eco-driving” training for drivers has the potential to result in fuel savings of 5-10%, which is attributed to new skills learned and behaviours changed. Combining trips and changing how you get around – for example by biking or walking for shorter trips – can result in even greater fuel savings. </p><p>Beginning in late August 2016, 200 drivers who live in the Metro Vancouver region will be recruited to participate in the Metro Vancouver Smart Drive Challenge. Participants will receive a small plug-in device for their vehicles that will measure their regular driving habits, and provide a snapshot of how they normally drive. After a period of time, drivers will receive their “smart driving training”, and then will participate in the challenge period of the program, when they are expected to put their new skills to the test. The target for participating drivers is to achieve a 15% improvement over their baseline. </p><p>Metro Vancouver and its member jurisdictions will use their online and social media channels to reach a wide audience in the region, and tell them about this exciting project. The aim is to have more applicants than participants, in order that a representative sample of drivers can take part, so everyone is encouraged to apply. In the meantime, if you have questions email <a href="mailto:AQInfo@metrovancouver.org?subject=Smart Drive Challenge"><font color="#1b84c9">AQInfo@metrovancouver.org</font></a> with Smart Drive Challenge in the subject line.</p></div>http://www.metrovancouver.org/metroupdate/PublishingImages/issue22-smart-drive.jpg2016-07-28T07:00:00ZGP0|#2d395db4-59c2-4bcd-8cf3-118afd214b4e;L0|#02d395db4-59c2-4bcd-8cf3-118afd214b4e|Issue 23;GTSet|#d14ffe11-45dc-48fb-8684-ff109cf15a74<div class="ExternalClass5B9D869D7D31423A9516D61E8865041A"><p>​Later this summer Metro Vancouver will start recruiting drivers for a Smart Drive Challenge. Are you up for the test? </p></div>0This small plug-in device for vehicles, smaller than a cell phone, measures driving habits before and after smart driving training, putting participating drivers to the test.