Fiat eco:Drive is a system that helps drivers analyze their driving habits, allowing them to improve their fuel consumption up to 15%. Available in the UK and other locations, the system works by recording driving data on a removable USB thumbdrive. When transferred to a PC, the Microsoft-crafted software analyzes the data, displays it, and gives recommendations to the driver about how to increase their fuel efficiency.
I like it because it integrates digital technology into cars, devices that seem so far behind in terms of technology development it is almost depressing. More importantly, by providing the driver with crucial information, the system transfers some of the burden of responsibility towards a better planet to the driver instead of just on the car company -- it enables the driver to do something about the planet directly.
Congratulations to digital agency AKQA who won a well-deserved Cyber Lion in Cannes this year for the project. Now, if we could just get one of these in the States...
