Award-Winning GreenRoad Helps Reduce Fuel Consumption and Saves Lives

Ofer Raz and Hod Fleishman are the founders of GreenRoad Technologies Inc., formerly known as DriveDiagnostics.

Launched in 2003, The California-based GreenRoad Technologies, provides a cost-effective service that helps reduce emissions, vehicle wear-and-tear and helps save lives.

Driving Behavior

Driving safely saves lives. But did you know safe driving also can save on annual fuel costs and reduce emissions? According to GreenRoad, “Driving behavior is the largest single contributor to driving safety and fuel efficiency, and costs the US and Europe over $500 billion dollars per year.” 

While car manufacturers strive to build safer vehicles, driving behavior contributes to approximately 90 percent of all vehicle crashes according to the company website.   80 percent of all vehicle accidents in the United States are caused by driver distraction, resulting in the deaths of 42,000 Americans annually according to a study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The GreenRoad service typically reduces risky driving behavior by 50 percent, reduces crash repair costs by about 50 percent and reduces fuel costs by up to 10 percent.  To date, more than 80 US and Europe public transit, telecommunications, public safety, service delivery and trucking fleets use the subscription-based service.

GreenRoad 360

So how does it work? The GreenRoad 360, the company’s flagship service for commercial fleets, is an intuitive two-inch gadget that sits on a vehicle’s dashboard and provides real-time, comprehensive and automatic feedback and analysis of a driver’s behavior behind the wheel.

Once the vehicle starts, a green light is displayed on the device. When the person behind the wheel swerves or hits the brakes, the devices light changes to yellow. If the driver continues to drive recklessly or erratically, the light turns red. The device measures 120 driving maneuvers in five different categories that impact safe driving, emissions and fuel efficiency. The categories include speed, turning, land handling, braking and acceleration.

The technology-based service provides in-vehicle hardware and software, which inlude a LED display, accelerometer sensors, patented algorithms, Google Maps and GPS for drivers and fleet managers. Currently installed mainly in commercial fleets, the service provides real-time driving feedback and focuses on prevention. The non-distracting system helps motivate drivers to change their driving behaviors. It’s almost like having your own personal back-seat driver right in your dashboard! The driver-friendly service also provides customizable safety reports and analytical tools via web, email and mobile alerts.

According to a recent press release, Generation IM Climate Solutions Fund LP, the investment firm co-founded by former United States Vice President Al Gore, has invested US$10 million of equity capital in GreenRoad for the deployment of the service to existing and new customers. Richard Branson’s Virgin Green Fund is also onboard. To date, nearly US$48 million has been raised.

GreenRoad Awards:

The award-winning company has received numerous accolades over the years including:

• Receiving the Techies 2009 - Best Green Development award from BusinessCar.
• San Francisco Business Times’ Green Business Award – transportation category.
• Being named one of the top 30 fastest growing cleanteach businesses in Europe 
• Receiving the Vision and Future Grown Potential CleanTech Connect 2009 Awards.
• Receving GreenFleet Magazine's IT Innovation Award.

Image courtesy of The Fire Wire