Toyota to launch Eco Drive indicator
Beginning this month, ToMoCo will begin outfitting automatic transmission-equipped vehicles in its home market with what Toyota calls the "Eco Drive Indicator." The dash-mounted display informs the driver when they are operating the vehicle in an ecological manner by monitoring acceleration, engine/transmission efficiency and speed, all in an effort to raise fuel efficiency consciousness in Japan.
Toyota's research shows a four percent increase in fuel economy with vehicles equipped with the Eco Drive Indicator. Naturally, the results are dependent on traffic congestion, frequent starts and stops and other variables that have an effect on overall fuel efficiency.
The introduction of the Eco Drive system is part of Toyota's three-prong effort to facilitate a more sustainable motoring environment. Eco Drive seeks to address driver awareness and from there Toyota aims to make more developments in commercial transportation and also plans to expand its research into intelligent transportation systems.
[Source: Toyota Motor Corp.]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
chewy 4:41PM (10/01/2006)
Volkswagen has had this for years already. It is much simpler, it just shows your current milage (both for the whole trip and instantaneous) If you floor constantly/stuck in traffic it tells you the truth, that you are only averaging like 10 mpg. Nothing revolutionary here.
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SobeSVT 5:13PM (10/01/2006)
WOW, How Car and Driverish of you guys!! Just throw the press release in there. I know you quoted the source but you also do it when it comes to domestic car makers' press releases but you ALWAYS blog about the content. Why else have a blog anyway?
Couldn't help but LOL at "The introduction of the Eco Drive system is part of Toyota's three-prong effort to facilitate a more sustainable motoring environment.". Shameless.
This is Autoblog, not Press Release Central.
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George 5:19PM (10/01/2006)
This is like Tom Ridge's color coded alert system.
Some simple minded drivers just want a "yes" or "no" answer, not 8.1 mpg, or 11.7 mpg, or 17.3 mpg, or 25.3 mpg, or 35.5 mpg instantaneous...
But depending on the algorithm behind the "Eco" light, it might be more useful, as it may provide you with an indicator of your overall driving habit (avg 1 hr), instead of instantaneous (avg 1 min or so).
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werdna 5:17PM (10/01/2006)
The 01-03 prius (and subsequent years, I think) had this standard. What's the big deal?
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Jason 5:43PM (10/01/2006)
This is just a trip computer, although a very graphic one. As mentioned, many cars have already had such a feature.
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Chevelicous 5:45PM (10/01/2006)
My '98 Blazer told me how many MPG's I was getting in a digital readout. Shut up Toyota and sit down, you didn't invent the wheel, of course you will take credit for it if you can. We all know that's a Fred Flintstone invention.
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Bill 6:27PM (10/01/2006)
It's a good idea in theory, but it needs to be simpler. I drove a Prius for a few hours once, and the center mounted video screen with all the energy regen info was was just too distracting.
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Brian W 6:34PM (10/01/2006)
Is there a smug indicator?
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Barney 7:46PM (10/01/2006)
I assume this device shows more then MPG. It would be of benefit if the gauge would show "when" you burn most fuel. One could adjust their driving habits accordingly. Every time you floor it or stay in gear to long "the graph" would show the approaching peak of the worst efficency.
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Steve from New Jersey 9:31PM (10/01/2006)
Sometimes simple works - my '84 Tempo had no tach, just an "upshift indicator" light. As if the sound of all 82 horses screaming for mercy wasn't enough!
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Stoneman 9:48PM (10/01/2006)
Good idea.......but I agree, it appears to be a commercia l plug rather than real news.
Stoneman
http://www.stonemanautoreview.com
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Kevin 1:14AM (10/02/2006)
Since we already know they are recording everything they possibly can to the black box, why don't more manufacturers offer the "everything" readout. You could monitor pitch and yaw during autocross events, you could monitor gas mileage, acceleration information. I know this is already available in various devices already, but it would definitely be a nice selling point for a number of people. Look how many people already opt for GPS which makes no sense economically.
With an "offering" like this dealers could at least hypothesize to buyers the "4%" mpg factor as a justification for the upgrade.
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Adriano 3:39AM (10/02/2006)
My first corolla (1984) was equiped with the same indicator! Green=OK, Red=not Eco.
What is new in that?
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Roger Born 6:27AM (10/02/2006)
Anyone who owns a Toyota probably has those LED Optitron guages anyway. So you have a right to be smug. The only other cars on the planet that have these addictive things are the Lexus - also built by Toyota.
By next year, the Optitron guages will be on all models Toyota sells. They could put a PIZZA light on the dash, for all I care. Just so that the numbers and needles light up like they do. Nothing else like it anywhere, not even Honda can match it.
If you've never experienced this effect, you need to borrow/rent/test drive one of these. Yeah, Toyotas are pretty well built, and reliable, but mostly they are as plain as your best friend's sister. But I am turned off by every other car on the road now, because of these stupid, awesome guages. Must be all those video games I played as a kid. Optitrons sell more Toyotas than any other feature, I am sure.
Who has the worst guages, as in obvious poor quality/shoddy workmanship? Hyundai. Ford comes in a close second. Both companies make great cars, especially the Hyundai, but I couldn't stand to be behind the wheel of one, staring at that crappy-sappy low tech guage cluster all day.
And please, please, FIRE the idiot who thought up the idea of putting the guage cluster in the middle of the dash!
Glad to have gotten all that off my chest. (Your mileage may vary.)
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ramsport47 3:54PM (10/02/2006)
my fathers 1975, yes 1975 Chrysler Newport Custom had this, and back then everyone thought it was stupid
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Steve C. 7:46AM (10/02/2006)
Honda Accord Hybrids have the same indicator, except on the Accord it comes on when one bank of cylinders shuts down.
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Tina 8:08AM (10/02/2006)
poster #8- LMAO!!!!!!!!!!! Excellent observation!!!!!!!!
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Dave T. 8:17AM (10/02/2006)
the saturn vue green line has a similar light. a green "Eco" that lights up at the same point. But it doesn't have all the computer/flat panel info the prius does so it makes sense in the Vue. In the prius you're already told your immediate mileage.
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jim 8:17AM (10/02/2006)
our family's 1975 dodge dart (actually a tramp IIRC)had a fender mounted lamp...remember the old mopar fender mounted blinker indicators?...that indicated fuel economy.
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Mike 11:21AM (10/02/2006)
Back in the 50's and 60's they had red VACUUM lights that came on when you were accelerating hard, so you could be more concious of moderating your driving. Hardly a new concept.
I want a light that comes on and let's me know just how much harder I can push the car without wrecking it. ;-)
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