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I think most of you have used Google Maps before. Previously, when searching for a location to go to by car the app provides you with 2 different options, either the fastest route or the shortest route. However, last year Google launched a new feature in the US which will be implemented in more than 40 different European countries during the coming month: “The eco-friendly route”. This new feature should provide users with an eco-friendly route which should lead to lower greenhouse gas emissions as well as lower gas usage with only limited or no time-cost trade-offs (BBC, 2021). Google’s CEO Sundar Pichai even promised that this new feature could save about one million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year, which is the same amount that could be saved when there is a reduction of 200.000 cars on the road (Milmo, 2021).

In order to provide users with the most eco-friendly route, different factors are taken into consideration. First of all, the engine in the used car is an important aspect since hybrid and electrical cars are typically more efficient when having to stop and accelerate a lot and diesel engines perform better when driving at higher speeds than petrol and gas engines (Lozano-Aguilera, 2022). Other factors that are taken into consideration are real-time traffic situations, possible hills on the route, the number of times the user needs to break and accelerate, etcetera (Milmo, 2021). Especially in the current situation wherein gas and electricity prices are rising sky high this function could really add value since Google claims that by taking the eco-friendly route, in addition to reducing carbon emissions the route is optimized to lower fuel consumption (Milmo, 2021). I think the choice of whether to drive eight minutes longer and save 25% of your expected fuel costs is one that can be made very quickly.

This is not the first green initiative Google has introduced in its navigation platform. Google has already implemented multiple functionalities related to sustainability such as:

• It’s electric which provides information about charging stations that are close by as well as charging speed and whether the charger is free at the moment
• Swapping four wheels for two which is a function to incentivize users to go by bike instead of by car and provides users with a lot of information about the cycling route
• Navigate public transport with ease which provides users for example with real-time arrival and departure times of public transport and whether a particular route and transport mode will be busy
• Sleep more sustainably which is a Google feature that aids users in finding the most eco-friendly hotel options (Lozano-Aguilera, 2022).

In my opinion, introducing this additional “green” functionality might help Google maps enlarge its user base since Apple maps does not provide this functionality yet. However, I also think that competitors like Apple with their large technological experience will develop a similar function soon in order to keep up with Google. Besides, I think when the majority of car drivers around the world frequently take the eco-friendly route rather than the fastest or shortest route, Google can indeed make a positive sustainable impact with this new feature. What do you think about it?

References

BBC News. (2021). Google Maps to start showing eco-friendly routes. https://www.bbc.com/news/business-56585877

Lozano-Aguilera, R. (2022). More ways to drive sustainably and save money with Google Maps. https://blog.google/around-the-globe/google-europe/eco-friendly-routing-in-europe/

Milmo, D. (2021). Google Maps to show the lowest carbon route for car journeys. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/oct/06/google-maps-to-show-the-lowest-carbon-route-for-car-journeys

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When booking your next holiday trip the first thing you do is probably take out your laptop or phone and go online. You are not the only one: In 2018, 82 percent of all global travel bookings took place online without any human interaction (Deane, 2022). Over the past decade, the travel industry has changed immensely mainly driven by the embracement of digital technologies. Online bookings are only one example, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has also orchestrated its way into the travel industry.

Diving further into the concept of AI, the ultimate objective of the usage of this technology in the travel industry has to do with enhancing the consumer experience in planning trips and booking accommodations in order to deliver the best offerings to the travel searcher within just a couple of seconds. (Koksal, 2020). Planning an unforgettable trip is often difficult and particularly time-consuming mainly due to the unlimited possible options, but AI can simplify our lives by providing search results based on own specific interests.

Consider for example the widely known travel-related company Airbnb. Airbnb is using AI and machine learning in order to tailor its search results to individual customers. Once a customer searches for a particular location on Airbnb, the algorithm personalizes the results by providing them with the most relevant listings based on your personal interests (Koksal, 2020). The personalization here comes from the fact that the search results are based on previous interactions. Say that you have been looking for accommodations with a swimming pool in the past, it is very likely that the algorithm returns listings with a pool included. The algorithm goes even further than just providing you with accommodation, it also returns activities that can be found at the searched locations based on your interests. Besides, Airbnb’s search engine is accompanied by natural language processing which enables open-text search for “a beach house in Italy for honeymoon” (Hammerkopf, 2018).

Another big player in the market is Booking.com which has also widely implemented AI within its business model. When you open the Booking.com website, the personalization already starts: destination recommendations and pictures are shown to you based on personal preferences (Verdict, 2019). This is only the beginning as the personalization process at Booking.com goes much further. Once you are searching for a location, the search algorithm will customize the formation of every listing based on what the algorithm thinks will make you most likely to actually make the reservation. Everything ranging from a listing’s rating to the pictures shown is personalized.

All in all, the implementation of AI within the travel industry has made it easier for us to plan unforgettable trips. Algorithms help us to return what we like just within a couple of seconds which saves us a lot of time. I am very happy that travel companies are using this technology since every minute that can be saved is very precious as a university student…

References

Deane, S. (2022). Over 60 Online Travel Booking Statistics (2022). Stratos Jet Charters, Inc. https://www.stratosjets.com/blog/online-travel-statistics/

Hammerkopf, T. (2018). How Airbnb, Booking and Trivago use Artificial Intelligence. Hammerkopf. https://www.hammerkopf.com/single-post/2018/09/02/how-airbnb-booking-and-trivago-use-artificial-intelligence

Koksal, I. (2020). How Travel Apps Are Using AI To Personalize The Experience. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/ilkerkoksal/2020/04/04/how-travel-apps-are-using-ai-to-personalize-the-experience/?sh=1c2ea6cf2167

Verdict (2019).The Bespoke Customer Experience: How Booking.com is Using AI to Make Travel Personal. Verdict-AI. https://verdict-ai.nridigital.com/verdict_ai_aug18/the_bespoke_customer_experience_how_booking_com_is_using_ai_to_make_travel_personal