Google has unveiled novel sustainability enhancements, including a resource tailored for prospective electric vehicle (EV) purchasers. The tech giant is also debuting an expanded Flood Hub and home energy evaluations.
When employing Google Search for researching or shopping for an EV, individuals in the United States will now possess the capability to promptly juxtapose pricing and electric battery range while exploring various models. Furthermore, they will have access to federal government incentives for eligible vehicles. In addition, Google is rolling out an updated Fuel Expense Estimator that appends electric and conventional vehicle data, rendering it more comprehensible to assess the expense of recharging versus refueling at a gasoline station.
Flood Hub, initially introduced in 2018 to provide instantaneous flood prognostications and visual depictions, will now encompass over 800 riverside locales across the United States and Canada.
"Through the assistance of artificial intelligence, we aspire to extend flood prediction services to every nation, encompassing a broader spectrum of flood categories. We are committed to sustained collaboration with our partners from the community, governmental bodies, academic institutions, and entities such as the World Meteorological Organization," articulated Google in a blog announcement.
Google is also engaged in a collaborative effort with the U.S. Forest Service to enhance their prevailing wildfire propagation model by leveraging machine learning (ML). This endeavor aims to model a more extensive range of wildfire dynamics, ultimately facilitating fire authorities in firefighter training, strategic fuel treatment planning, and the safer and more efficient management of large-scale conflagrations.
Lastly, as part of an initiative to simplify the quest for eco-friendly heating and cooling alternatives for residential properties, Google Search will now present details pertaining to energy efficiency and financial incentives when users search for terms like "heat pumps" or "air conditioning." Google asserts that this fresh attribute is engineered to facilitate the transition to clean energy by furnishing increased insights into sustainable residential energy choices.