Hyundai partners with NAVTEQ to offer “green routing” navigation

Hyundai itself developed the software working with NAVTEQ’s digital map data with additional information on altitude, slopes and curves, which allows calculations to more precisely map terrain.

This is informed by NAVTEQ’s proprietary Traffic Patterns, which can predict traffic jams and slowdowns projected from previously analyzed data. Thus informed, the navigation system can pick a route resulting in the greatest fuel efficiency.

This type of data and system developments are referred to as Advanced Driver Assistance Systems or ADAS.

"It is rare for this type of 'green routing' option to be available in C–segment vehicles, but we are looking to exploit any opportunity which encourages responsible driving and lowers CO2 emissions," commented Allan Rushforth, COO & SVP of European Operations, Hyundai Motor Europe GmbH. "By leveraging NAVTEQ's expertise and support services we can improve customer benefits and move beyond the map to ADAS data and other advanced content to bring this technology to higher volume models."

In testing “fastest route” and “greenest route” calculations in several cities and urban scenarios from Paris to Frankfurt, New York and Chicago showed a 6 percent fuel savings when using the “greenest route,” sometimes more.

In additional NAVTEQ research, green routing by the navigation system proved to be the most interesting eco friendly feature, followed by green driving. The latter suggests an optimum speed and gear for the terrain. Most of those surveyed anticipated using such features weekly.

"NAVTEQ has, for the past several years, developed advanced content which supports efforts to reduce CO2 emissions, working towards the larger goal of saving the environment," added Bruno Bourguet, SVP Sales EMEA, NAVTEQ. "Our collaboration with Hyundai has been particularly satisfying as it enabled them to deliver an innovative navigation platform integrating a green routing option in addition to the traditional 'shortest' or 'fastest' routes. This delivers on the larger environmental objective while also meeting the interests of its drivers."

Hyundai is also working with NAVTEQ to improve the system’s purchase rate even further through effective dealer and customer materials illustrating how navigation adds value and potentially helps reduce running costs. NAVTEQ has been encouraging consumer adoption of navigation through a variety of innovative marketing programs for many years.

The new navigation software will be used on the company's map updates from Spring this year – making the advanced 'green routing' feature available to drivers with the recently launched Veloster.