Reducing CO2 emission and disrupting car travel habits through personalized feedback

This paper presents the results of an experimental field study, in which the effects were studied of personalized travel feedback on car owners’ car habits, awareness of the environmental impact of their travel choices, and the intention to switch modes.

For a period of six weeks, 349 car owners living in Amsterdam used a smart mobility app that automatically registered all their travel movements. Participants in the experiment group received information about travel distance, time, and CO2 emission. Results show that the feedback did not influence self-reported car habits, intention, and awareness, suggesting that personalized feedback may not be a one-size-fits-all solution to change travel habits.