We’ve all been there – the car’s engine hums quietly while we wait. Maybe we’re picking someone up, maybe we’re early for an appointment, or perhaps we’re just stuck in one of those seemingly endless traffic jams. It’s called engine idling, and although it might seem harmless, it’s a silent contributor to air pollution and a devourer of fuel.

Understanding the Idle

Engine idling is when a vehicle’s engine is running, but the car isn’t moving. Simple, right?

Letting your vehicle idle, a habit of keeping the engine running while stationary is a practice with hidden costs and environmental impacts. It’s a direct drain on your fuel tank and wallet, and a contributor to air pollution. Surprisingly, keeping your engine idle for over 10 seconds consumes more fuel and emits more harmful emissions than simply turning off and restarting your engine.

One common myth is the belief that it’s necessary for warming up the car. In reality, driving the car is the most effective way to warm it up, and modern vehicles need no more than 30 seconds of idling to be ready for a drive. But here’s the kicker – while the engine idles, it’s sipping on your precious fuel and belching out emissions like carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter into the atmosphere. Environmental impact aside, frequent idling can also result in faster wear and tear on your engine, leading to increased maintenance costs.

Let’s speak data:

  • The average UK motorist leaves their car running for 244 minutes every winter – generating a combined 107,000 tonnes of CO2 annually in the UK. [1]
  • The US Department of Energy study found that idling for more than 10 seconds uses more fuel and produces more CO2 emissions than restarting the engine. [2]
  • In Canada, if motorists avoided idling for just three minutes per day throughout the year, it could potentially reduce CO2 emissions by 1.4 million tonnes, save 630 million liters of fuel, and have a similar effect to taking 320,000 cars off the road for a year.

Fleximodo helps to tackle engine idling

At Fleximodo we developed technology that helps to enforce idling bans and decrease air pollution. Fleximodo ground sensor is the only sensor on the market able to detect and monitor engine idling. Our technology harnesses the power of IoT technology to tackle engine idling head-on.

Fleximodo IoT parking sensors and a smart integrated parking management system are designed to make the act of finding a parking spot as swift and efficient as a hot knife through butter. Here’s how it works: Fleximodo’s IoT parking sensors are like the eyes on the street. They keep a watchful eye on parking spots and know in real-time which ones are free and which are taken. This data is then sent to you through a user-friendly app. No more circling the block, no more waiting, and importantly, a significant reduction in engine idling.

Impact You Can Feel

With Fleximodo, not only do you save time and fuel, but you also contribute to a cleaner, greener environment. Remember, every minute cut down from idling counts. That’s not just good for the planet; it’s great for public health too. Reduced emissions mean reduced cases of respiratory issues like asthma and chronic bronchitis.

So, next time you’re in your car and you find a parking spot without the usual hassle, know that it’s a technology like Fleximodo making that seamless experience possible. It’s more than just smart parking; it’s about transforming cities into spaces where technology and sustainability coexist, making our lives easier and our air cleaner.

Resources:

[1] IET – The Institution of Engineering and Technology – Warming our cars is no idle matter according to new IET research out today

[2] U.S. Department of Energy – Idling Reduction for Personal Vehicles

[3] Government of Canada – Emission impacts resulting from vehicle idling