Plug -in hybrid cars have an obvious problem: many owners Do not plug them in. This Toyota knows it, and that is why he has decided to act developing an application which warns the owners of loading the vehicle and offering information about the recharge points. As Admits the brandhe has resorted to behavior science to solve this problem. The amazing thing about all this is that the results of their pilot tests show that your strategy works.
The background problem. Plug -in hybrid vehicles offer between 20 and 50 kilometers of electric autonomy, sufficient for most urban displacements. However, when also carrying gasoline engine, many conductors mainly use them as conventional hybrids without taking advantage of their electrical capacity. This ends up significantly its efficiency and increases real emissions with respect to what is promised by manufacturers.
Differences between the group that received the intervention regarding what did not. Image: Toyota
Toyota’s solution. The Toyota Research Institute has created Chargeminder, a prototype application that applies principles of behavior science to modify load habits. Instead of bombing with constant notifications, the app sends intelligent reminders just at the right time and place, when the owner is more likely to plug his vehicle but could be forgotten or distracted.
How the strategy works. The application integrates more than a dozen interventions based on scientific research. It includes gamification elements such as loading gusts, progress graphics and positive reinforcement messages. It also offers educational content through questionnaires that teach when it is cheaper and sustainable to load the vehicle. All designed to create a scaffolding between the intentions of the driver and his real actions.
The results are promising. Toyota tried Chargeminder in two controlled pilot studies with approximately 100 volunteers in each market. In the United States, plug -in drivers who received the APP warnings increased load by 10% compared to the group that did not receive them. In addition, according to their reports, their satisfaction with the vehicle grew 16 percentage points, reaching 100%. In Japan, where the app was modified to promote load during maximum solar production hours, drivers changed their behavior by 59%, adding almost 30 minutes of cargo with renewable energy.
Why is it relevant now. “Technology is not the only way to reduce emissions: people’s decisions also matter,” affirms Dr. Gill Pratt, scientific director of Toyota Motor Corporation. This approach is especially significant for the company when in multiple reports it is revealed that plug -in hybrids contaminate more than publicized, precisely because drivers do not plug them into.
The future of Chargeminder. Although the application is not publicly available, Toyota plans to extend its research program with more personalized and dynamic interventions. The brand will prove Chargeminder in more people and scenarios, with the aim that what they learned helps align the load of electric vehicles with its global carbon neutrality strategy. It is possible that, over time, Chargeminder ends up arriving at your trusted application store.
Cover image | Toyota
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