Why in the News?
IIT Kharagpur has made a web app called Dynamic Route Planning for Urban Green Mobility (DRUM) to help people choose travel routes that are not just fast but also have cleaner air and better energy use.
About DRUM:
- Purpose: It is a navigation tool that prioritises air quality and energy efficiency, offering a greener alternative to traditional mapping apps.
- Data Usage: DRUM uses real-time data on air pollution and traffic conditions to recommend optimal routes.
- Sources: Pollution information is collected from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the World Air Quality Index.
Important Features:
- Routing Logic: DRUM applies a rank-based elimination method that prioritizes time, followed by distance, pollution exposure, and energy use.
- Technical Tools: The app uses GraphHopper for route generation and Mapbox for live traffic updates.
- Route Options: Users can choose from 5 routes — shortest, fastest, least pollution (LEAP), least energy use (LECR), and a balanced suggested route.
- Live Updates: It retrieves real-time route data when a query is entered, not through scheduled updates.
- Performance: In Delhi trials, the LEAP route cut pollution exposure by over 50%, and the LECR route reduced energy use by up to 28%.
- Non-Motorized Inclusion: DRUM will expand to serve cyclists, pedestrians, and other non-motorized users.
- Predictive Upgrade: DRUM 2.0, currently in development, will use machine learning to forecast pollution and traffic and recommend best routes and departure times.
| [UPSC 2025] Consider the following types of vehicles:
I. Full battery electric vehicles II. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles III. Fuel cell electric hybrid vehicles How many of the above are considered as alternative (powertrain) vehicles? Options: (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) All the three* (d) None |
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